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Rock 'n' roll to the core © Wally McNamee/CORBIS

Perhaps surprisingly, 1984 also saw the first incarnation of the Sony Discman (the D-50). Discman owners will no-doubt remember the ESP (Electronic Skip Protection) feature (introduced later) – a saving grace for the product which had a tendancy to skip at the drop of hat (or an American flag bandana). Unlike the cassette-based Walkman which you could hurl against a wall and it wouldn't miss a beat. Maybe.