Ongoing History of New Music

Ongoing History Daily: A crazy story about the Sony Walkman

There have always been complaints about young people getting into something that will inevitably destroy their minds or society or both. Believe it or not, the Sony Walkman was once seen as a terrible, terrible thing. Here is a quote from the Chicago Tribune from 1981:

“The Walkman is replacing certain drugs as a mind- and mood-altering device. When teenagers have reached the point where they feel they must shut out the sounds of the Ohio State Fair, society is surely ready to collapse.”

If that writer is still around today, I wonder what he or she would think about today’s headphone culture. We can probably guess.

Alan Cross

is an internationally known broadcaster, interviewer, writer, consultant, blogger and speaker. In his 40+ years in the music business, Alan has interviewed the biggest names in rock, from David Bowie and U2 to Pearl Jam and the Foo Fighters. He’s also known as a musicologist and documentarian through programs like The Ongoing History of New Music.

Alan Cross has 41859 posts and counting. See all posts by Alan Cross

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