I was thinking somewhat philosophically today that 20-25 years ago, we didn't know what was ahead of us and we couldn't quite grasp what was right in front of us, but all we knew at the time was what was before us and the present time.

It's kind of interesting to view it that way, as we never really referred to the '90s and the '00s as just a mere time that was going to be the future. Little did we know how things were to change.

I was thinking somewhat philosophically today that 20-25 years ago, we didn't know what was ahead of us and we couldn't quite grasp what was right in front of us, but all we knew at the time was what was before us and the present time.

It's kind of interesting to view it that way, as we never really referred to the '90s and the '00s as just a mere time that was going to be the future. Little did we know how things were to change.


You were born in 1982, right? When did VHS and CDs totally saturate the market?

I was born in 1990, and I don't think I ever expected the 2000s to be the way they are. I remember around 1996 and 1997 people thought that things like books were going to be totally outmoded in the 2000s. And that it was going to be some amazingly prosperous, utopian decade. I didn't expect Bush or 9/11...

You were born in 1982, right? When did VHS and CDs totally saturate the market?

I was born in 1990, and I don't think I ever expected the 2000s to be the way they are. I remember around 1996 and 1997 people thought that things like books were going to be totally outmoded in the 2000s. And that it was going to be some amazingly prosperous, utopian decade. I didn't expect Bush or 9/11...


Well, I may have been a little too young to take notice of how VHS tapes had totally taken over, but I would say between 1980-1982 they were fairly novelty driven but by the mid-80s, most everyone had a VCR and video rentals was a big thing. CDs really didn't take off from what I could tell until the late 80s and early 90s. CDs were probably more expensive. It appearted  use to be ALL cassette racks you saw in the mid to late 80s. Maybe a row or two of CDs, now its ALL CD racks, with maybe a row or two of tapes.  ;D

Well, I may have been a little too young to take notice of how VHS tapes had totally taken over, but I would say between 1980-1982 they were fairly novelty driven but by the mid-80s, most everyone had a VCR and video rentals was a big thing. CDs really didn't take off from what I could tell until the late 80s and early 90s. CDs were probably more expensive. It appearted  use to be ALL cassette racks you saw in the mid to late 80s. Maybe a row or two of CDs, now its ALL CD racks, with maybe a row or two of tapes.  ;D


Cassettes were really that dominant over records and CDs?

I don't think I even knew CDs existed until the early 90's. I guess in the mid-90's, they took over. I heard somewhere renting VHS movies didn't happen until '82 or '83. I remember me and my family renting them like crazy in a bunch of different places, circa 1985-1987. i think starting in '88 we settled down for only two or three stores, lol.

Cassettes were really that dominant over records and CDs?


Oh by far. This is why I hardly knew what a CD was until maybe 1991, that's when I saw that CD's would come in those elongated cardboard boxes rather than just their regular plastic cases these days. They'd special package a lot of them in cardboard with the CD cover on the cardboard and some album art and stuff.

You saw a couple rows of records, too (like vinyls and stuff).

UV, I'd say even the '90s are old-school compared to the '00s.  You couldn't carry your album collection in your pocket, even in 1999, unless it consisted of one album  ;D

UV, I'd say even the '90s are old-school compared to the '00s.  You couldn't carry your album collection in your pocket, even in 1999, unless it consisted of one album  ;D


Very true. I mean, MP3s were still a new thing even when 2000 hit. So, yeah, recording stuff off the radio was still one of my favorite things to do because sometimes it was really hard to buy a whole album to get just one song you wanted to hear. It's amazing how convenient MP3s have made the musical listening experience.

Very true. I mean, MP3s were still a new thing even when 2000 hit. So, yeah, recording stuff off the radio was still one of my favorite things to do because sometimes it was really hard to buy a whole album to get just one song you wanted to hear. It's amazing how convenient MP3s have made the musical listening experience.


When you think about it, the CD is just a 1980s/'90s update of the vinyl record.  Being born in 1990, I'm amazed that people who aren't teenagers would see the '90s as retro.

When you think about it, the CD is just a 1980s/'90s update of the vinyl record.  Being born in 1990, I'm amazed that people who aren't teenagers would see the '90s as retro.


Yes, that's what I thought when I first saw a CD. It was also a dream come true because it was SO clear compared to cassette tapes which sometimes could get warped if left in the sun and then sound a bit off.

Young children (ages 8 and under) probably will never realise the impact a CD made compared to listening to warbled cassettes, records and 8 tracks.

It's probably like how us kids may never know how it was like to hear the first ever stereo recording or the first time kids heard FM radio rather than AM radio.

Yes, that's what I thought when I first saw a CD. It was also a dream come true because it was SO clear compared to cassette tapes which sometimes could get warped if left in the sun and then sound a bit off.

Young children (ages 8 and under) probably will never realise the impact a CD made compared to listening to warbled cassettes, records and 8 tracks.

It's probably like how us kids may never know how it was like to hear the first ever stereo recording or the first time kids heard FM radio rather than AM radio.


One thing about tapes is that although they only sold more than CDs in 1990 (and in terms of # of items, 1991 also) they were always the #2 format in the '90s. Whereas by about 2001 they were totally obsolete except for recording (and even in that sense when MP3 came about).

I was basically raised on cassettes...like my parents played them all the time in the early-mid '90s and probably had 10x more cassettes than CDs.

I was basically raised on cassettes...like my parents played them all the time in the early-mid '90s and probably had 10x more cassettes than CDs.


I was too, early anyway, because CD players and stuff were way more money then and we used casettes in the car because car CD players were not common at all. I remember when a portable CD player cost $200 or so.

Being a child in the 70s and a teenager in the 80s I saw a lot of changes.  I remember running to the store to buy albums (vinyl) as soon as they came out and then when cassettes hit the market - look out!!  I have SO many cassettes right now.  I keep them all safe in my closet and am slowly trying to find the same songs to download to put on a CD.  Technology has come a long way. 

I remember getting our first microwave - we boiled water in it.  My students (I'm a teacher) would not know how to survive today without a microwave.

Of course cable and TV have changed a lot too.  MTV shook the airwaves - it was much better when it actually played music videos 24/7. 

The 80s saw a lot of changes and I remember thinking that 2000 was SO far off, now the 80s seem like yesterday.

Yes, I remember when it was a HUGE deal when we got our first VCR.....it was like amazing back then!! LOL! :D

Yes, I remember when it was a HUGE deal when we got our first VCR.....it was like amazing back then!! LOL! :D


Yes, it was big deal.  VCRs were so big back then and pricey - especially by today's standards when they are almost obsolete.

back in the 80's, VCR's were twice the size they are now, and cassette players were the size of VCR's, and all they did was play cassettes.  We had a silver Sony Cassette player, that was huge, and had those old style metres with the yellow light and the frequency needle that would move back and forth.

Alot of music that I had in the 80's was on cassette, because you can play your cassettes in a car, and they were easier to maintain than the big vinyl LP

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