National 8-Track Tape Day 2021: 9 Bestselling 8-Track Tapes Of 1969 You Can Enjoy

National 8-Track Tape Day is observed on April 11 every year to celebrate the great music of the 60s and 70s that have been immortalized on 8-track tapes.

Developed by William Powell Lear, a jet plane designer, an 8-track tape is a magnetic tape sound recording technology. Thanks to this invention, recording one continuous loop of tape and winding it into a cartridge without compromising sound quality became possible.

This innovation revolutionized music technology in the United States and soon after, the automobile industry began capitalizing on the new trend by introducing 8-track tape players to newer car models.

One of the biggest advantages of the 8-track tape cartridge is that it does not have to be "flipped over" to play its alternative set of tracks. Back then, many people fell in love with it due to its convenience and portability.

The 8-track tape became highly popular in the U.S. from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s. Retail stores only stopped selling 8-track tapes in the late 1980s when more compact cassette tapes came into the picture and took over the 8-track tape's popularity

Although 8-track tapes are now considered obsolete, many music enthusiasts are still in love with them. In fact, many of these fanatics continue to hold on to their prized collections of well-preserved 8-track tapes.

In celebration of this year's National 8-Track Tape Day, let us look back to the nine bestselling 8-track tapes of 1969, courtesy of MeTV:

1. Iron Butterfly — "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vita"
2. Blood, Sweat & Tears — "Blood, Sweat & Tears"
3. Crosby, Stills & Nash — "Crosby, Stills & Nash"
4. Johnny Cash — "Johnny Cash at San Quentin"
5. "Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical" (The Original Broadway Cast Recording)
6. Creedence Clearwater Revival — "Bayou Country"
7. Donovan — "Donovan's Greatest Hits"
8. Blind Faith — "Blind Faith"
9. The Beatles — "Abbey Road"