slo’s MONDAY 3/2 poll - 8 Track Player

[Lumpy1106]

I guess I skipped the rather short-lived 8-track time, like Kitty above, going from records to cassettes. And like Kitty, still have my LP's, several hundred, many classics from the 50's-early 70's.

You say "short-lived", but how long did CD's stick around? As far as that goes, how long did we listen to digital music that we actually owned (like on an iPod vs. subscribing to Apple Music)?

 

[fla4fun]

There were a few different versions of this. Here's one that is more like a traditional turntable.

View attachment 1052593

Yeah, I can't imagine it wouldn't skip and couldn't be good for your records either! I think this is why they were short-lived and not popular.

My childhood player was similar to this except I remember it being all beige, not blue and white, and it plugged into the wall,

You say "short-lived", but how long did CD's stick around? As far as that goes, how long did we listen to digital music that we actually owned (like on an iPod vs. subscribing to Apple Music)?

I do not listen to music streaming now. It’s either the radio, vinyl, CD, or the few items I purchased for my iPod which are now on my phone. I still purchase CDs and vinyl of new releases. My car has a CD player (one of the last models to have one). I feel subscription services are a waste of money and don’t like being at the mercy of whether they will remove the artists I like to listen to, nor do I want to listen to artists I am not interested in at all (which happens when I ride in my sister’s car which has a subscription service). I won’t tell anyone not to subscribe because that is an individual choice, but it’s not for me at all. I even prefer DVDs to subscription streaming services.

 

[Kitty 34]

Now I just turn on my Youtube for music!!

 

[wabbott]

Off the top of my head, I recall having The Best of Three Dog Night, Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only the Piano Player, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, and The Grass Roots - Their 16 Greatest Hits, and many more.

I had two cases about this size, both chock full.



I want to say a new 8-track album was about $8.00 along about that time. Back when that was serious money. Us oldsters will recall that this was the very first auto sound system that was practical and affordable. The LP record system was very expensive, IIRC. FM radio was good, but you listened to what the station played, instead of what you wanted.

Crank it up!!

 

[LoveSpringsteen]

My Dad had at least two cars in the early to mid 70s with 8 track players. I remember listening to Linda Rondstadt and Jim Croce with him. My Mom had some Carpenters 8 tracks. I’m not sure I had any of my own though.

 

[HopperFan]

My Dad had at least two cars in the early to mid 70s with 8 track players. I remember listening to Linda Rondstadt and Jim Croce with him. My Mom had some Carpenters 8 tracks. I’m not sure I had any of my own though.

Jim Croce "Time in a Bottle" was my first record album!!! Still have it.

 

[tvguy]

You say "short-lived", but how long did CD's stick around? As far as that goes, how long did we listen to digital music that we actually owned (like on an iPod vs. subscribing to Apple Music)?

CDs are still around. Introduced in 1982 and are still readily available new. So 44+ years and continuing. 8 tracks came out in 1965 and went out of production in 1982, so about 17 years. True, most of the music I listen to is Satellite radio, not music I own. But we still listen our music on our MP3 player about once a week.

 

[disneychrista]

You say "short-lived", but how long did CD's stick around? As far as that goes, how long did we listen to digital music that we actually owned (like on an iPod vs. subscribing to Apple Music)?

I "own"80% of the music I listen to, with the other 10% being via YouTube and the car radio since my Car Play is faulty and doesn't always connect.

I also still have most all of the physical media as well. 45's, Albums, cassettes and CD's.

 

[Genie+]

Jim Croce "Time in a Bottle" was my first record album!!! Still have it.

A couple of years before I ‘inherited’ my 8 track/record stereo, someone had given my family a used set of 45s from a bar jukebox. My favorites were Time in a Bottle, We’ve got Tonight (Seger), Hot Stuff (Summer), Logical Song (Supertramp).

 

[GAN]

I never had an 8-Track player but had friends that did. Cassettes started coming out when I was a teenager so that’s the route I followed primarily(along with vinyl).

 

[wabbott]

A couple of years before I ‘inherited’ my 8 track/record stereo, someone had given my family a used set of 45s from a bar jukebox. My favorites were Time in a Bottle, We’ve got Tonight (Seger), Hot Stuff (Summer), Logical Song (Supertramp).

Don't get me going on music videos!! "It's Raining Again"

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I have never had an 8-track player or any 8-tracks. My parents had one of those cabinet stereos that had the 8track player and record player. I don't remember the 8track part ever being used though. Waaaaay back in the day (when I was young) I remember at one point we had an old car that had an 8track player in it, but didn't have any 8tracks to use

 

[RedAngie]

I know “vinyl” has made a comeback, but are cassettes still produced, either pre-recorded or blank tapes?

I used to make plenty of mix tape cassettes, sources both radio and albums. I still have some and occasionally play them.

My parents had a record player that JUST played 45rpm singles. Similar to this.


When I bought my first stereo we had to use plastic inserts to play 45s.

 

[tvguy]

I know “vinyl” has made a comeback, but are cassettes still produced, either pre-recorded or blank tapes?

Go to Amazon. Pre-recorded and blank cassette tapes are still made and sold.

 

[Lumpy1106]

CDs are still around. Introduced in 1982 and are still readily available new. So 44+ years and continuing. 8 tracks came out in 1965 and went out of production in 1982, so about 17 years. True, most of the music I listen to is Satellite radio, not music I own. But we still listen our music on our MP3 player about once a week.

Yeah, and I still have a working VCR that is actually connected to a TV. That does not mean that I can go down to the Blockbuster and rent a movie on VHS anymore. Point is, the actual, wide-spread use of these other media did not last as long as you might think. Longer than 8-track tapes, sure, but in the grand scheme, not all that long.

Heck, I remember my parents debating whether they would splurge and get an FM radio in our next car (vs. the standard AM only). Forget about all these on-demand media types like all you fancy pants .

 

[tvguy]

Yeah, and I still have a working VCR that is actually connected to a TV. That does not mean that I can go down to the Blockbuster and rent a movie on VHS anymore. Point is, the actual, wide-spread use of these other media did not last as long as you might think. Longer than 8-track tapes, sure, but in the grand scheme, not all that long.

Heck, I remember my parents debating whether they would splurge and get an FM radio in our next car (vs. the standard AM only). Forget about all these on-demand media types like all you fancy pants .

But you can buy CDs still. And audio cassettes too on Amazon.

 

[Skywalker3]

I didn't have one, but my older brother did, and he had lots of great 70s 8 tracks, and I'd go in his room and play them. memorable to me was Tom Petty's Damn the Torpedoes. I have a few of his 8 tracks from when we cleaned out his stuff, but wish I had more. I was just getting into records/albums, then went to cassettes in the 80s.