Music Players: The Evolution

Music Players: The Evolution

The Phonograph

In production from 1870-1980, music industry moving much slower than it is today. Longest production line for any music player. Created a culture of private music listening experience, revolution spawned an industry designed to cater for the market.

The Cassette

First produced in 1963, led to advent of portable music listening. Allowed transference of content by users, effectively the first form of file sharing. Frowned upon by music industry because could record own music and record music from artist’s gigs. Created underground revolution producing radical political movements. The cassette met its decline in the early 1990’s when it was surpassed by the compact disc.

The Compact Disc

Stores digital data; has been on the market since as early as 1982. Developed by both Sony and Phillips. Sony developed vertical integration by releasing the first compact disc single by Billy Joel in timing with the release of the first CD player. CDs further developed to be capable of storing data.

Key reason for music industry development is portability.

Transistor Radio

First portable music player, advantage was that you could listen to music anywhere. This also gave an advantage to record labels by making it easier to market their product.

The Boombox

First produced 1970’s, tied in with the music culture of hip-hop. Rose to success when break-dancing became fashionable on street corners, boombox was part of the music revolution.

The Walkman

Portable cassette player, produced by Sony, the advantage of this product that it was easily marketable.

The Discman

The Discman was a portable way of listening to CDs once again developed by Sony; it quickly killed the cassette and Walkman player.

MP3 Player

First model held only 10 tracks (32MB) three years later saw the launch of the Apple iPod, became a fashion accessory aswell as a music player and revolutionised the industry. Music was a perfect synthersists for Apple. Shaun Fanning launched Napster, The prick ruined music.