What transistor radios were to the 1960s, the 8-track tape was to the 1970s -- flaws included.

Developed in the 1960s by a diverse consortium including RCA Records and the Lear Jet Company, 8-track tape players went head-to-head against reel-to-reel until 1966, when Ford included them as an option in their complete line of new cars.

By the 1970s, an 8-track player could be found in nearly every luxury car, truck and van -- and was becoming an increasingly common feature of hi-fi stereo systems. Listeners were won over by the 8-track's portability and simplicity -- you just popped the tape in and it played continuously. Or you could change songs by pressing a button.

One disadvantage: no rewind to replay your favorite cut. Another: reliability. Broken tapes and tape jams were common.

By the early 1980s, the 8-track was losing ground to the low-cost, less bulky cassette tape -- which had the added advantage of offering superior sound quality.