Welcome to Hell, here's your 8-Track

Yes, there was something good about 8-tracks. At a moment in time when the standard audio format was the LP, there were no real portable/automotive options beyond FM & AM radio. Good as those were/still are, something was missing.

Much like VHS videotape, 8-track tape players failed in all manner of resolution and usability details, but at least served to get the portability ball rolling. Next came cassette tapes, a huge leap sonically and technologically...then Walkmans and the rest is history.

Such a funny Title on post. They were great in cars and only 1 of 50 spewed tape out all over the place.

In 1983 or so I got a good deal on a 1976 Monte Carlo with a built in 8 track. Whenever I listen to A Remark You Made on the Heavy Weather album it takes me back to a specific wintery late night, driving through the slush along side a steel mill with all its smoke and steam and lights and smells, with Weather Report providing the sound track. It was about 2:00 a.m. It was…perfect.

desktopguy -- The way I remember it, 4 Track cartridges and players existed before 8 Track ones. My sister had one in her Mustang.

Haven't posted in some time, but had to respond to this post. I have to disagree to the bobbergman post. My 4 track was superior in many ways to my Panasonic 8 track player/recorder. Having only 4 bands on a tape the same width as an 8 track, there no hearing overlap of 2 tracks, the totally annoying changing tracks in the middle of the song. It was a Kraco (sp?) player and most cartridges were made by Muntz. Can't remember it ever 'eating a tape' either. I did like painstakingly recording various songs on my Panasonic 8 track and timing them to end correctly. Manufacturers preferred the 8 track because it only used half the tape length. I'd been buying LP's for some time, but you couldn't play them in the car. I also acquired an ac/dc converter to play them at home. Sounded great thru my Lafayette speakers circa 1968. Good times indeed.