Although the 8 track player has not been in production since the late 1980's it still has a very popular following among enthusisasts and collectors.

Developed, initially, in the 1960s as a car accessory it provided drivers the ability and flexibilty to enhance their listening choice rather than just tuning into radio stations.

Following on from the original format for magnetic tape sound reproduction, which was reel-to-reel audio tape recording that had been the norm since the late 1940s, it was designed to counter the difficulty of threading tape into the recorders. By introducing a succession of cartridges which held the tape inside a housing it eliminated the need for handling the tape.

The popularity of both four-track and eight-track cartridges grew from the booming automobile industry home players were introduced in 1966 that allowed consumers to share tapes between their homes and portable systems. consumers started thinking of eight-tracks as a feasible option to vinyl records,

However, because of the inconvenient and bulky size and the introduction of the handier cassette tape, it's popularity and success was short lived and by the mid 1970s record labels began to stop producing 8-Track tape format music. By the time the Compact Disc arrived in 1982–83, the eight-track had greatly weakened in popularity.

The eight-track format has sustained a ardent fan base, however, even after its demise on the open market.