25 Vintage '80s Pics of People Carrying Boomboxes Literally Everywhere

Carly Tennes Published 08/21/2024 in wow

Long before Apple's AirPods Max became the must-have tech accessory du jour, there was another way to look fly af while jamming out to your favorite tunes: A massive boombox perched on your shoulder.

But more than just juicing your lats — and possibly peeving off your neighbors — old-school boom boxes blasted a bonus: if somebody snapped a pic you were immortalized as quentessential 80's forever.

From kids riding the New York City subway to the early days of the Beastie Boys, here are 25 vintage '80s pics of people carrying boomboxes literally everywhere.

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1.
Three friends with their boombox and motorbike in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood, date unknown.
2.
Two kids pose on New York City’s 2 train with their boombox, date unknown.
3.
“B-Boy with his JVC RC-5500 Boombox, NYC, 1980, by Peter Anderson.”
4.
“The Dirty Ones Blast [their] Boom Box in Brooklyn, 1975.”
5.
Three pals strike a poke in Harlem, date unknown.
6.
“A man recording a cassette tape at a music festival in Poland, 1980s.”
7.
“Two girls and a boombox, Philadelphia, 1986.”
8.
“Man with Boombox on NYC Subway Platform, 1970s.”
9.
“Grandmaster Flash (late 70s/early 80s).”
10.
“Tina Weymouth and Grandmaster Flash, pictured for NY Rocker, 1981.”
11.
“Chicago Pride Parade, 1985.”
12.
A man flaunts his boombox — and his Canadian tuxedo — in what appears to be New York City. Date unknown.
13.
“Boombox on the graffiti-covered NYC subway, 1985.”
14.
“Youths in the New York subway - 1980s.”
15.
“Ripped guy with a boom box 1980s San Francisco, CA.”
16.
“Boys with Boom Box, 14th Street, New York, 1983.”
17.
“This 1984 image of the Beastie Boys and now-legendary music producer Rick Rubin was captured by photographer John Cheuse. He began photographing the rap group back when he was only 16, saying it was ‘a bit like joining the circus’ and that nightclubs become like a second home.”
18.
“1980 - a man and his boom box, Brooklyn, NY.”
19.
“Werner Braun, well known for climbing with a boom box, and sometimes rope-less (1970’s).”
20.
“A Brooklyn man and his boombox, 1985.”
21.
“Brooklyn Man with his Boom Box, 1980.”
22.
“A young man sits on his bicycle with his boombox. Cairo, Illinois. 1985.”
23.
“The boom box to end all boom boxes. NYC, July 1989.”
24.
“Friends kicking back on a stoop with their boom box - Spanish Harlem in the 80s.”
25.
“Little Crazy Legs with his boombox, 1983, NYC - photo by Martha Cooper.”

1.
Three friends with their boombox and motorbike in New York City’s Harlem neighborhood, date unknown.
2.
Two kids pose on New York City’s 2 train with their boombox, date unknown.
3.
“B-Boy with his JVC RC-5500 Boombox, NYC, 1980, by Peter Anderson.”
4.
“The Dirty Ones Blast [their] Boom Box in Brooklyn, 1975.”
5.
Three pals strike a poke in Harlem, date unknown.
6.
“A man recording a cassette tape at a music festival in Poland, 1980s.”
7.
“Two girls and a boombox, Philadelphia, 1986.”
8.
“Man with Boombox on NYC Subway Platform, 1970s.”
9.
“Grandmaster Flash (late 70s/early 80s).”
10.
“Tina Weymouth and Grandmaster Flash, pictured for NY Rocker, 1981.”
11.
“Chicago Pride Parade, 1985.”
12.
A man flaunts his boombox — and his Canadian tuxedo — in what appears to be New York City. Date unknown.
13.
“Boombox on the graffiti-covered NYC subway, 1985.”
14.
“Youths in the New York subway - 1980s.”
15.
“Ripped guy with a boom box 1980s San Francisco, CA.”
16.
“Boys with Boom Box, 14th Street, New York, 1983.”
17.
“This 1984 image of the Beastie Boys and now-legendary music producer Rick Rubin was captured by photographer John Cheuse. He began photographing the rap group back when he was only 16, saying it was ‘a bit like joining the circus’ and that nightclubs become like a second home.”
18.
“1980 - a man and his boom box, Brooklyn, NY.”
19.
“Werner Braun, well known for climbing with a boom box, and sometimes rope-less (1970’s).”
20.
“A Brooklyn man and his boombox, 1985.”
21.
“Brooklyn Man with his Boom Box, 1980.”
22.
“A young man sits on his bicycle with his boombox. Cairo, Illinois. 1985.”
23.
“The boom box to end all boom boxes. NYC, July 1989.”
24.
“Friends kicking back on a stoop with their boom box - Spanish Harlem in the 80s.”
25.
“Little Crazy Legs with his boombox, 1983, NYC - photo by Martha Cooper.”