walkman

The Walkman is a line of portable audio players by Sony, introduced in 1979. It popularized private listening on the move by using cassette tapes and lightweight headphones, allowing users to listen without sharing sound with others. The name Walkman was coined by Sony, intended to evoke walking and personal listening.

The first model, TPS-L2, released in 1979, was a compact stereo cassette player with integrated headphones. It ran on two AA batteries and provided the core portable listening experience that defined the category.

The Walkman achieved widespread commercial success and is credited with creating a market for portable personal audio. It influenced music consumption and popular culture; the term Walkman became a generic short-hand for portable cassette players in many markets, though it remains a Sony trademark.

Product evolution: The Walkman line expanded to CD Walkman in the mid-1980s, followed by MiniDisc Walkmans in the 1990s, and later digital MP3-capable players. Sony continues to use the Walkman branding for portable music players, adapting to digital formats while maintaining its association with private, on-the-go listening.