The 8-track as Memorabilia

The 8-track tape was meant to be a great advance for music. For a few years, especially in America, it offered a viable alternative to vinyl and 8-track players were common in cars as the first device that let you play music of your choice rather than the radio.

It was replaced in popularity by the far more reliable and more compact cassette tape, which itself gave way to the CD (and has been outmoded by the MP3). The 8-track tape has taken on a kind of kitsch cachet over the years and has become quite collectible.

What’s Available

There was a time when almost everything that was released appeared on 8-track. Even now you can easily find the big selling albums of the 1970s at cheap prices in the format. Go to any American flea market and they can be picked up for just a few cents.

More obscure artists and albums can be found but they’re a great deal rarer and consequently cost more – much more in some cases. About the only place to buy them these days is from a dealer who understands the value and charges accordingly.

Players

Although the vast majority of 8-track players were for automobiles, there were also stand alone units for the home and others that could be components in a stereo system. These days you’d be unlikely to want an 8-track player in your car (unless you have a ‘70s American car and want to be fully retro), so you’ll need a player at home to enjoy your collection.

There are refurbished units available as well as some new, specially made ones. The modern ones have several advantages, the biggest being the fact that they’re much less likely to chew and swallow your valuable tapes.

Although most of the players are for the American market you can find some models that are constructed to UK voltages (you can also buy American and use a transformer).

Where To Buy

These days the best place to find 8-track tapes is either through dealers who specialise in them or on Internet auction sites. The US is the biggest source, so there will be shipping charges on top of the prices.

Within the UK people will generally buy 8-track tapes not to collect them but as part of a complete collection on a specific artist. They won’t buy an 8-track player but instead simply display the item. As long as the casing is in good condition they won’t care about the audio quality of the tape.

Who Collects 8-Tracks?

There are people who collect 8-track tapes – those are their memorabilia. It’s a small strand of people, but a very dedicated one. They’ll spend plenty of money for a rare tape and regularly play them.

They have a selection of players and gradually amass a large collection of tapes (an 8-track will sound better than a cassette but not as good as vinyl or CD). It’s as much about nostalgia as anything else, a rediscovery of the 1970s.

Those who collect 8-tracks can be every bit as obsessive as any other collectors. They’ll spend plenty of money to pursue their hobby and find that elusive tape. 8-tracks are as much music memorabilia as any other format, and collecting them is no different to collecting vinyl.