The Roland TR-808 Drum Machine : A 5 Minute History

What can be said about the Roland TR-808 drum machine that hasn't already been said? It goes without saying that this drum machine was absolutely revolutionary, and changed the face of pop music forever. Its influence and impact have been felt around the globe, in a variety of musical genres.
This was (and still is by many) the drum machine of choice in genres such as hip hop, rap, techno, dance, pop and electronic music in general. Considered a flop when it was released in 1980, it would find its way into many pawn shops in the mid 80s, being snapped up by an oncoming wave of musical pioneers. The 808 has appeared on more hit pop songs than any other drum machine!
Emulations and software imitations have come and gone over the years, and the wide array of drum kits in numerous workstations and drum machines that imitate the 808 sounds is immeasurable. This only serves as testament to the power and popularity of a drum machine that achieved its notoriously famous sounds from a collection of faulty transistors.
Roland would replace the 808 with the TR-909 in 1983, another classic drum machine in its own right. But the fact that only 12,000 808's were made in a 3 year span explains why it is still very much sought after on the second hand market, and why it can still fetch huge sums of money. It is still very much in demand with many of the hottest, cutting edge music producers.
This drum machine was used by everyone, from Madonna to Whitney Houston, the Beastie Boys, New Order, Marvin Gaye, Talking Heads and a very wide range of house and techno musicians from the late 80s and beyond.
In this video, I give a very concise history of the amazing, game changing drum machine, touching upon the key figures who lead to its development, as well as central moments in its history. If you want to have a good idea of the history of the 808 drum machine in 5 minutes, watch this video!
Do you own an 808? Or do you use an emulation of the Roland TR-808? Do you think the 909 was better? Do you think the 808 is overrated? What is your favorite song that features the 808? Feel free to share your opinion!
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