July 1, 1979Reputable sourceWell documented
The Sony Walkman
On the timeline · around July 1, 1979 · The Rock & Pop Era
What happened
On July 1, 1979, Sony released the Walkman, the first low-cost personal stereo cassette player, letting people carry high-quality music with them and listen privately through lightweight headphones. After a slow start it became a defining product of the 1980s.
Why it matters
The Walkman created the era of personal, portable, private listening — music as a personal soundtrack you take everywhere — setting the stage for the iPod and the smartphone.
Sources
- HISTORY (A&E). The first Sony Walkman goes on sale · Reputable source