8 To i

The evolving industry of music/multi-media players

Everyday I pass hundreds of college peers as I go from class to class, all of them going to their own destinations, keeping to their own schedules, doing what’s on their own agenda just like me. Everyone goes in all directions. I’m sure I have passed you on the street, just didn’t notice because it was so crowded. As you pass people, do you see what I see? For every 10 people I see, at least 5 of them, if not 7 – 8 have some kind of wiring devices coming out of their ears. Those of course, for anyone who lives under a rock or in the Amish country, are headphones that connect to some kind of musical apparatus. That’s right, I am talking about iPods or Microsoft music players. They seem to be everywhere. It is a must-have when going ANYWHERE anymore. Kids listen to them standing up, sitting down, coming into class, going out of class, running, walking, skateboarding, sleeping, etc, etc. Do you see a trend? I hope so. The handheld music players have become the hot new fad that has hit teenagers and young adults alike. I too have an iPod, and it is basically become a tumor that has formed on my body. I can’t seem to go anywhere without it. And I’m not alone in this statement, many love them. So where did this all start? I wondered what the music industry has done in the past to get us to where we are now.

It all starts back further than you would expect.

Start of Time

- Early AD: Jesus was the first to invent sound (just kidding)

- 1850 – 1900: Some of the first popular musical players besides instruments themselves were player piano rolls, Edison’s “Audio Theatre”, and the infamous classic jukebox. (None of which could be personally carried)

- 1900 – 1920’s: Some disc players were massed produced, and other gizmos such as RCA’s recorder models and Edison Co. players were invented. The radio station was first developed and perfected at this time.

- 1920’s – 1950’s: Not much happened here, just improvement of speed and length in the music/recording players. Radio and television peeked their way into society.

- 1950’s – 1970’s: As the TV’s got color and AT&T started their computer systems, the first compact discs were replacing 8 tracks on the market

- 1970’s – 2000’s: By the 80’s, the C.D. came out for sale to the general public for mass production. The stereos and personal players came thereafter.

- 2000’s - : The industry expanded and advanced most rapidly in the last few years, with the introduction of Microsoft MP3 players and Apple iPods and their respective internet music downloading websites like Napster, LimeWire, and iTunes.

So there is a little bit about the history of music technology and the way it hit the media. Music devices are great things, and they continue to get smaller and hold more memory. I mean 60 gigs…….That a whole lot of memory, definitely more than computers 10 years ago. But they are stylish, small, somewhat cheap, and versatile. I recommend that everyone should jump on the bandwagon, because ever since the 8 track transformed into the iPod, the field of music and technology grows and improves everyday.