❗Let's close the gap: We still need your help to raise $40,000 by April 1. Donate now
Codebreaker

Your Walkman songs all in one unendurable playlist

John Moe Oct 25, 2010

It’s funny. Kind of. The Walkman was a revolutionary piece of technology. I remember my late father, who was born in 1931, putting on headphones for the first time and listening to a classical cassette that, for some reason, I remember coming with the brand new Walkman we had purchased. He couldn’t believe it was happening, couldn’t believe that all that sound was playing just to him. “THIS IS AMAZING!” he shouted, needlessly, because we could all hear him just fine, but that phenomenon was new at the time.

And I suppose the music we listened to at the time sounded like the wave of the future too, whenever it was we first got locked in to the Walkman.

Earlier today, I asked Twitter followers what their *favorite *Walkman song was. It’s interesting how many people answered with their *first *clearly remembered Walkman song. And, I don’t know, maybe it’s just putting them all together in one playlist but it just seems horrific. Particularly “Mama” by Genesis. How did we, as a society, ever decide that song was good?

There’s a lot happening in the world.  Through it all, Marketplace is here for you. 

You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible. 

Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.