Many of us remember the first portable music device we owned: a transistor radio, a boombox, a Walkman or perhaps an iPod. We might even recall the songs we played on it. But we might be less aware of how profoundly audio technology developments from the 1950s to 2000s changed the ways in which we consume music and other audio outside of the home or concert venue. Transistor radios allowed outdoor sounds and noises to mix and compete with those coming over the airwaves, creating new auditory experiences; the cassette player gave the listener a cheap way of making and re-making their own playlists; and the advent of digital music players encouraged us to ‘own’ music recordings without possessing a physical copy of the audio. Iszi Lawrence discusses the history of portable music with Dr. Annie Jamieson, Curator of Sound Technologies at Bradford’s National Science and Media Museum; American drummer and writer Damon Krukowski; Dr. Jahnavi Phalkey, science historian and Founding Director of Science Gallery Bengaluru, India; Karin Bijsterveld, Professor of Science, Technology and Modern Culture at Maastricht University; and World Service listeners. (Photo: Andrii Iemelyanenko/ Getty Images)
This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the uk.
What are the most memorable travel adventures?
Those where we open our eyes and our minds to new experiences.
It's all to see here in Azerbaijan.
New flavors, a new appreciation of ancient history, of natural beauty and of rich contrasts.
This is a world of culture, cuisine, wellness and adventure.
All yours for the taking.
Thought you knew Azerbaijan?
Take another look.
To plan your Azerbaijan adventure, visit Azerbaijan Travel available now on the Documentary from the BBC World Service.
The distinct musical genre of amapiano can be heard in clubs and parties all around the world.
It's a sound born out of the unique cultural identity of South Africa.
I am Legendary Crisp and I'm going.
To take you on a journey of.
Exploration as we dive into the history of the music.
Listen now by searching for the documentary wherever you get your BBC podcasts.
I recently saw a photograph of a newlywed couple sitting on a beach listening to the radio that lies between them.
So far, so ordinary, except that the photograph was taken in 1923.
Yes, you heard that correctly.
Over a century ago there were portable radios.