10 Photos That Tell A Very Portable Story Of The Sony Walkman
Carly Tennes
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Long before the iPod and later, the iPhone became the be-all, end-all of listening to music on the go, the Walkman's portability, sound quality, and cool factor came to define a generation of portable tech.
From the device's operatic origins to its lasting legacy, even in a world full of smartphones, here are 10 photos that tell a very portable story of the Sony Walkman.
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1. The Walkman
Courtesy of Iangator on RedditThough cassettes and 8-tracks may have ruled the ‘70s, an invention during the decade’s last year would come to define music for an entire generation: The Walkman. -
2. Reporter Origins
Courtesy of BinarysequenceIn 1979, a group of Sony workers were tasked with transforming the "Pressman,” a recorder that was a staple for journalists of that era into a smaller, more portable device. -
3. An Operatic Start
Courtesy of SonyThis decision to retool the recorder, per The Verge, allegedly stemmed from Sony’s co-founder Masaru Ibuka wanting a more convenient way to listen to opera music on the go. -
4. On The Market
Courtesy of AmazonOn July 1, 1979, Sony officially released the walkman, selling each device for $150 a pop — which would be roughly $647 in Today’s money. -
5. A New Kind of Marketing
Courtesy of StrawberryShortcakeL on Reddit“Sony implemented a marketing strategy for their Walkman by hiring young adults to walk around in public wearing a Walkman, offering intrigued passers-by the opportunity to test out the product.” -
6. It’s A Hit
Courtesy of HellsJuggernaut on RedditThough sales were less-than-stellar during the Walkman’s first month on the market, the device quickly took off to become one of the brand’s most popular items. -
7. An Instant Impact
Courtesy of enderman54 on Reddit“[The gadget’s] unprecedented combination of portability (it ran on two AA batteries) and privacy (it featured a headphone jack but no external speaker) made it the ideal product for thousands of consumers looking for a compact portable stereo that they could take with them anywhere,” Time wrote of its release. -
8. A Walkman in Every Pocket
Courtesy of a unknown Redditor“Over the next 30 years, they sold over 385 million Walkmans in cassette, CD, mini-disc, and digital file versions.” -
9. Beyond the Cassette
Courtesy of SonyBy 1984, Sony offered a much-needed update to their beloved product, releasing the Discman, which played CD discs instead of just tapes. -
10. A Lasting Legacy
Courtesy of SonyThough Sony pulled their original walkman back in 2010, per The Verge, a decision that stemmed from competitors like Apple taking the market by storm, the company still pays homage to their iconic product by giving the moniker to several of their MP3 players and even their app.
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The Walkman
Though cassettes and 8-tracks may have ruled the ‘70s, an invention during the decade’s last year would come to define music for an entire generation: The Walkman.
Though cassettes and 8-tracks may have ruled the ‘70s, an invention during the decade’s last year would come to define music for an entire generation: The Walkman.
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