WALK THIS WAY

On the evening of December 4th, 2013, I received my very own Sony “Sports” Walkman. It was comically large in my ten-year-old hands and its glaring yellow surface filled me with disgust. My tiny brain could not comprehend the significance of the item that had been handed to me. It was from a different generation, a different time period. I looked up at my mom, and asked “what the heck is this?”

Walkmans come in several different shapes, sizes, and models. It may be confusing to distinguish between these models, but each Walkman tells a different story. 

Looking back, I am surprised that my mother trusted me with such a vibrant piece of history. I did not know much about the walkman, but as I grew I gradually learned more. It has become a foundation for my appreciation for music, and it has followed me through many stages of my life. Whether being happy or sad, moving from house to house, roller skating, or starting college, my Walkman has been there for me: allowing me to disappear into a magical, musical, world.

The WM-2, or “Walkman 2” was released in 1981. It came in several colors (red, black, grey, white), and once again revolutionized the world of music. It was smaller than the first model, but still somewhat bulky.

The Sony WM-20 was a staple of the 80s. With its vibrant color and tiny size, it fits in pockets and spare purses with ease. It was the first Walkman to be roughly the size of a cassette tape.

https://walkman.land/sony/wm-20

The year was 1979, and Sony had just released the LPS-L2 – the first Walkman model. It was small, sturdy, and life-changing. Happy Meals, Strawberry Shortcake, and leg warmers were on the rise, but the Walkman quickly dominated the world of products, selling “50,000 models in the first two months” (Haire).

Teenagers everywhere clamored to get their hands on one. They were an instant hit, and people began to explore a whole new world of music. According to The New Yorker post, “within a year and a half of the appearance of the Walkman, Sony would produce and sell two million of them” (Alt).