The novelty of both the cassette and the 8 track was their potential for portability. And the whole mix tape thing and ability to record with cassettes was a plus. But beyond that, they didn't have much of a future. Just a place holder until the next best thing came along, and it did.

R.I.P. Cassette tape. It was fun while it lasted, but not many of us were sorry to see you go.

Back to topic. Notice how during the first week after this man's death, the creepy makeup wearing white guy was nowhere to be found? Every where you looked was the boyish faced, curly haired, chocolate skinned, helium voiced young man so many women seemed to swoon over for so many years. One week later, that face had disappeared, and every magazine cover is plastered with the pasty white face, and bearing captions such as "Drug Addict?" "What will become of his children?" "Micheal's Horrible Secrets Revealed!" etc. Gotta love the media.