Cassette tapes defined 1980s music. Not only did they give rise to the Walkman and Boombox, but also the art of making a mix tape.

Today, we look back on the creation that not only changed music and tech but also pop culture itself. From recording music off the radio and copying tapes--to the panic that faced the industry--analog audio quickly became the most important music format of the 80s.

With origins going back to the 1960s, it didn't look like the compact cassette was going to hang on, until the Phillips company made a decision that would change the industry forever...

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