Why Sony Watched the Future Walk Away

How Sony’s Walkman legacy collided with the digital era

Before anyone else could even dream it, Sony made music move. The Walkman launched a revolution and gave a generation a soundtrack of its own. For decades, Sony shaped how the world listened. By the late '90s, with deep hardware expertise, its own record label, and one of the most iconic brand names in tech, Sony was perfectly positioned to lead the digital age. Instead, it let the future walk away in white earbuds.

Writing and sharing Sony’s history here and on social media, I hear it all the time. People say they miss the old Sony. That they had it all and somehow lost it. I feel that too. That’s why I try to piece these moments together. Not just to point out where things went wrong, but to understand the choices that led there. When you break it down, you start to see how even the most forward-thinking companies can lose their way. In the end, it often comes down to one thing. Having the courage to let go of the past.

For Sony, that turning point started to take shape at the end of …