On April 11, celebrate National Eight Track Tape Day by bringing out your old eight track tape and explaining what it is to millennials and Generation Z. You are fond of remembering the sweet tunes you listened to on your eight-track player from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s, when it was the most popular technology.
The background of National Eight Track Tape Day
Did you know a jet aviation designer created the eight track tape? William Powell Lear is best known for creating the Learjet, but he also invented a method for producing eight channels (tracks) of magnetic recording tape. This invention temporarily revolutionised music technology and the way we listen to music. In the United States, the eight track tape craze lasted from the mid-1960s to the late 1980s, when cassette tapes took over.
With Lear’s new eight track tape device, it was possible to record one continuous cycle of tape and wind it into a cartridge without degrading the sound quality. The auto industry was fast to capitalise on the new fad by installing eight-track players in new vehicle lines. In 1967, Chrysler and General Motors followed Ford in offering factory-installed and dealer-installed eight-track players in its prestige vehicles.
In 1966, over 65,000 eight-track players were sold, and they became an integral component of driving in the United States. In fact, the convenience and portability enjoyed in the automobile came to permeate the home. The eight track quickly transcended the culture of driving when it was introduced to parks and beaches across the country. In 1970, Europe began manufacturing eight track tapes. Although the attempt was primarily unsuccessful and the company failed in only four short years, vintage eight-tracks are still available in the United Kingdom, West Germany, Italy, and other countries. The first karaoke machine was constructed from an eight-track record!
For a decade, the eight track’s popularity increased. Competitors who created smaller cassette tapes discovered ways to improve quality, and the ease of damaging and degrading the eight track led consumers to embrace a new decade of music technology. By the mid-1970s, the cassette, which was a third the size of an eight-track recording, was the preferred format. In the 1980s, retailers ceased selling eight track cassettes, and by 1988, the final notable album to be released on eight track had been discontinued. The once-remarkable piece of technology has become a footnote in the annals of history, but many fans of that era’s music and culture can still find an old eight-track tape in the attic and recall fond recollections of driving while listening to their favourite music.
Did you know a jet aviation designer created the eight track tape? William Powell Lear is best known for creating the Learjet, but he also invented a method for producing eight channels (tracks) of magnetic recording tape. This invention temporarily revolutionised music technology and the way we listen to music. In the United States, the eight track tape craze lasted from the mid-1960s to the late 1980s, when cassette tapes took over.
With Lear’s new eight track tape device, it was possible to record one continuous cycle of tape and wind it into a cartridge without degrading the sound quality. The auto industry was fast to capitalise on the new fad by installing eight-track players in new vehicle lines. In 1967, Chrysler and General Motors followed Ford in offering factory-installed and dealer-installed eight-track players in its prestige vehicles.
In 1966, over 65,000 eight-track players were sold, and they became an integral component of driving in the United States. In fact, the convenience and portability enjoyed in the automobile came to permeate the home. The eight track quickly transcended the culture of driving when it was introduced to parks and beaches across the country. In 1970, Europe began manufacturing eight track tapes. Although the attempt was primarily unsuccessful and the company failed in only four short years, vintage eight-tracks are still available in the United Kingdom, West Germany, Italy, and other countries. The first karaoke machine was constructed from an eight-track record!
For a decade, the eight track’s popularity increased. Competitors who created smaller cassette tapes discovered ways to improve quality, and the ease of damaging and degrading the eight track led consumers to embrace a new decade of music technology. By the mid-1970s, the cassette, which was a third the size of an eight-track recording, was the preferred format. In the 1980s, retailers ceased selling eight track cassettes, and by 1988, the final notable album to be released on eight track had been discontinued. The once-remarkable piece of technology has become a footnote in the annals of history, but many fans of that era’s music and culture can still find an old eight-track tape in the attic and recall fond recollections of driving while listening to their favourite music.
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5 Interesting Facts About Eight Track Day
1965 saw the introduction of eight-track players in Lincoln, Thunderbird, and Mustang models.
Columbia House used to accept a single cent for a dozen eight-track recordings.
Many agree that the final album to be commercially released on eight track was Fleetwood Mac’s Greatest Hits in 1988; since then, no major band has published an album on eight track.
Since decades, everyone has enjoyed karaoke, but few are aware that the first karaoke machine was truly an eight-track player.
Although we cannot guarantee that all eight tracks on popular albums are collectible, many eight-track albums in good condition have become valuable since their prime.
NATIONAL EIGHT TRACK TAPE DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | April 11 | Tuesday |
| 2024 | April 11 | Thursday |
| 2025 | April 11 | Friday |
| 2026 | April 11 | Saturday |
| 2027 | April 11 | Sunday |
