Japan, 1979 (it arrived in Italy a year later): a small blue and silver device makes its debut, destined to change the way we listen to music forever. It's called Walkman, and it looks like a portable cassette player: in reality it's an earthquake. It is the beginning of a cultural switch that will transform our daily lives and redefine the very concept of public and private space. Really? Certain. But what do the 2000s know about yesterday's future.
The birth of the Walkman
The Walkman was born from the innovative vision of Sony's co-founders, Masaru Ibuka e Akio Morita, together with the engineer Kozo Ohsone. The original idea was simple: the “young” Ibuka, aged 71, wanted a portable device to listen to his favorite music during the long flights he took for work. This personal need turned into a project that would revolutionize the audio industry.
The first Walkman model, the TPS-L2, was launched on July 1, 1979 in Japan. It cost 39.500 yen, equivalent to about 150 dollars at the time. The device featured a blue and silver metal case, weighed 400 grams and had two functions: it played cassettes and allowed you to talk to another Walkman owner. Did you know? Yes sir. The first Walkman had a "hotline" function which was removed (don't ask me why) from the European versions that arrived in the Old Continent in the following months.
Despite initial skepticism from retailers and industry experts, Sony bravely decided to produce an initial series of 30.000 units, demonstrating great confidence in the potential of the product. A trust rewarded with over 400 million units sold worldwide.
The impact of the Walkman on society
Sony's Walkman has profoundly redesigned public spaces and social interactions by introducing the idea of enjoying true personal and portable "soundscapes". This phenomenon, called “Walkman effect” by musicologist Shuhei Hosokawa, allowed users to create their own private audio environments while moving through urban settings.
The device allowed listeners to have real personal soundtracks, transforming everyday activities into cinematic experiences. Do you remember the feeling you felt the first time you put on those headphones?
As with all things unknown, this new autonomy also attracted criticism: some who saw the Walkman as an instrument of tremendous isolation and narcissism. A means to commit suicide, ending up under a car while distracted by the music. Every era has its judges, its moralists and its censors.
Let's put these concerns aside, the Walkman has ended up evolving with its users, who are increasingly aware and "sober" in its use.
An instrument that has grown over time. And then disappeared
The Sony Walkman has undergone a significant technological evolution from its initial cassette-based design to digital formats. The original TPS-L2 model played cassettes and featured innovative lightweight earphones. As technology advanced, Sony introduced Walkman CD players in the 80s and 90s, with better sound quality.
The digital revolution in the late 90s and early 2000s (with the peer-to-peer boom like Napster) led to the development of Walkman MP3 players, in open (and unfortunately losing) competition with devices such as the Apple iPod. Sony continued to adapt, creating high-end digital audio players under the Walkman brand, with models such as the A10 and ZX series launched in 2014.
It was the swan song: despite these advances, Sony ended up collapsing under the blows of smartphones and streaming services, which ultimately marked the new way of consuming music on the go.
The legacy of the Walkman
The Sony Walkman has left an indelible mark on pop culture: from anime series to epic scenes (the famous one from “The Time of Apples”). A symbol of personal audio freedom. Recently the Marvel film "Guardians of the Galaxy" dusted it off for an amarcord effect also appreciated by younger generations.
The impact of this contraption goes far beyond its role as a musical device. It has changed the way we interact with music and our surroundings. It pioneered a new era of portable devices, directly influencing the development of MP3 players, smartphones, and other personal audio devices. It is no coincidence that in the ranking of the most influential devices of all time drawn up by Time, the Walkman is 4th. (Do you want to know the first three? Ask me on Facebook).
In short (Italian only)
The concept of a personal soundtrack, introduced by the Walkman, is now an integral part of many people's daily lives. The idea of being able to take your music with you everywhere, once revolutionary, today seems obvious but it was disruptive.
His legacy lives on in modern devices and contemporary listening habits. And he reminds us that even the simplest ideas can dig a deep and lasting furrow on society. Especially when driven by the power of music to connect, inspire and transform people's lives.
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