Lewm, empirical research (i.e. observation) for something as subjective as audio presents a very weak argument. I think Ketchup brought up a very valid point.
If we are to assume that physics tells us a platter will decelerate due to stylus drag, we would be mistaken if we were ignore the fact that the same force acting on the cutting lathe will have the very same effect.
From my own experience I have a few LPs that when listening to I have always thought that the transients were a little bit too quick and sharp to be real. (I am sure everybody on the BB has a few LPs that). I always put that down to the sound engineering tweaking the recording a little, but Ketchups postulation does go some ways to explain the phenomenon. Simply put, it is not inconceivable that the cutting lathes used to create those LPs slowed down more on transients than what my current TT slows down.
Sadly, we do not have any numbers or hard data pertaining to the amount of stylus drag and the effect said stylus drag has on a platter.
Regards
Paul