NATIONAL EIGHT TRACK TAPE DAY

National Eight Track Tape Day on April 11th recognizes an era that was here and gone in a short 20 years. It is a day to remember listening to great music of the sixties and seventies on eight-track tapes.

Popular from the mid-1960s through the early 1980s, eight-track tapes are a magnetic tape sound recording technology.

In 1964, Bill Lear of Lear Jet Corporation along with Ampex, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Motorola and RCA created the eight-track tape. Also known as Stereo 8, the first player was released in 1965.

In September of 1965, Ford Motor Company introduced factory-installed and dealer installed eight-track tape players as an option to buyers on three of its 1966 models – the Thunderbird, Mustang, and Lincoln. All of Ford’s vehicles offered this tape player upgrade option on the 1967 model. Through the 1980s optional eight-track players were available in many cars and trucks.

Eight track cartridges were phased out in the retail stores in the United States by late 1982. Some titles were still available as eight-track tapes through various mail-order clubs until late 1988.

Many of the late period eight-track tape releases are highly collectible today.

HOW TO OBSERVE #EightTrackDay

Do you have a collection of eight-track tapes and a player? Be sure to listen to them and share your favorite track. Share your enthusiasm for eight-tracks and what makes you collect them. Do you know someone who would enjoy this celebration? Be sure to let them know using #EightTrackDay to post on social media.

NATIONAL EIGHT TRACK TAPE DAY HISTORY

Our research was unable to find the creator of National Eight Track Tape Day.

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