1965

The 8-track system uses an endless magnetic tape housed in a durable plastic cartridge.
It was developed in the 1960s by Bill Lear and several industry partners.
The name “8-track” refers to the eight parallel audio tracks on the tape.
The cartridge plays continuously without rewinding because the tape forms an endless loop.
During playback, the player automatically switches between four stereo programs.
The format spreads rapidly in car audio systems.
Many American car manufacturers offer 8-track players as standard or optional equipment.
During the late 1960s and early 1970s, the system becomes extremely popular.
Numerous rock, pop and country albums are released on 8-track cartridges.
With the rise of the compact cassette, the format gradually declines.
Today the 8-track cartridge is considered a classic audio format of the 1960s and 1970s.