File:Walkman_logo_(2000).svg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons
Walkman
Sign in to saveis a brand of portable audio players manufactured by Sony since 1979. It was originally introduced as a portable cassette player and later expanded to include a range of portable audio products. Since 2011, the brand has referred exclusively to digital flash memory players.
Key facts
- Information appliance.logo
- Walkman logo (2000).svgclass=skin-invert
- Information appliance.caption
- Left to right from top: a cassette Walkman (1980s), a CD Walkman (2001), an MD Walkman (1998), a digital Walkman (2011)
- Information appliance.manufacturer
- Sony
- Information appliance.type
- Portable audio players and recorders
- Information appliance.lifespan
- 1 July 1979 – present
- Information appliance.units_sold
- 385 million (all editions, as of 31 March 2009)
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
- Official website
- www.sony.fr/hub/lecteurs-mp3-walkman
- Image
- 2011 Sony WM MP3 NWZ-B163FR active-display.jpg
Show 2 more facts
- Commons category
- Walkman
- inception
- 1979-07-22
via Wikidata · CC0
~19 min read
Article
12 sectionsContents
- History of the cassette Walkman
- Portable radio receivers
- Discman, MiniDisc, and digital Walkman
- Digital players (1999–present)
- Marketing
- Impact and legacy
- Current range
- List of products
- See also
- Notes
- References
- External links
is a brand of portable audio players manufactured by Sony since 1979. It was originally introduced as a portable cassette player and later expanded to include a range of portable audio products. Since 2011, the brand has referred exclusively to digital flash memory players.
The Walkman became widely popular during the 1980s for its portable design and private listening experience. It influenced popular culture by promoting individualized music consumption and supporting activities such as aerobics. Its widespread use gave rise to the "Walkman effect", a term describing how portable music devices and headphones allow listeners to control their sonic environment. In 1986, "Walkman" was added to the Oxford English Dictionary, and in some markets the term became a genericized trademark for portable audio players. The Walkman also contributed to the widespread adoption of the Compact Cassette format, which surpassed vinyl record sales in 1983. Sony sold approximately 220 million cassette-based Walkman units before ending production in 2010.