If you’re a living, breathing human being, you likely saw, heard, tweeted–SOMETHING’D–about the Apple event this past Tuesday. And while everyone’s favorite computer company did very publicly announce TWO new phones, a mobile payment system–oh, and a watch–they kept one additional development on the relative down-low by comparison: after 13 years and hundreds of millions of units solid, Apple removed the iPod Classic from its online store–effectively discontinuing its flagship MP3-playing device.

While this isn’t really a metal-specific news item, it does sort of feel like the end of an era for music in general. I won’t go into some long-winded history lesson about the iPod and its effect on the music industry here–you all already know that it was more or less the it-device for music consumption for more than a decade. Over the years, I’ve owned a 40GB “click wheel” model, an 80 GB video model, and two 160 GB “Classics” and while I’ve long been considering a transition to “streaming only” (whether through Spotify, Beats, or whatever) once my current Classic model dies, it appears as though I’ll no longer really have a choice on this matter. Similarly–so long, buying-physical-music-to-upload-to-iTunes.

In any case, this week’s Throwback Thursday post will offer a bit of nostalgia for music players gone-by. It’s a compilation of Apple’s iPod commercials from 2004-2008. There are 20 of them, and frankly, you deserve a medal if you watch more than two or three without getting bored. But dammit, the iPod WILL receive tribute today! Here you go:

Farewell, nondescript musical playing device that we all came to know and love over the years. It’s been fun.

-Dan

Live. Love. Plow. Horns Up.