This Day in History: The First Sony Walkman Goes on Sale July 1, 1979 The first version of the Walkman was made at the personal request of Sony chairman Masaru Ibuka. The music lover wanted a portable stereo so he could listen to music during flights. Though the prototype created for his request wasn't ideal, Ibuka was hooked. When facing pushback from executives, Ibuka quipped, ”Don’t you think a stereo cassette player that you can listen to while walking around is a good idea?” Targeted for Japanese students at a price of about $150, initial sales were a meager 3,000 units. After an ingenious marketing campaign, sales took off and the Walkman became a global phenomenon.