Not so very long ago most of us who are old enough to remember probably had a collection of vinyl albums that reflected our wide taste in music. Such technology was all we knew and, with the help of a record player, we could enjoy our songs without having to wait for them to come on the radio. Today, technology is so different that it barely resembles its former self. Music lovers of today carry around portable devices that store all of their favorite songs in a piece of equipment that is barely larger than our thumbs. The MP3 music player technology initially appeared in the mid-1980s but we would not see the player in its present state until the late 1990s – 1999 to be exact. But when it made its appearance it would change the world of music forever.

The MP3 music player utilizes media formatting technology to convert existing audio files to the MP3 format. The MP3 format consists of compressed audio files; audio that has been compressed into very small files that can fit into the MP3 music player. And it achieves this compression without sacrificing the audio's sound quality. In some instances, depending on capacity of the particular MP3 music player, users can fit thousands of songs within its confines. Better still, because of its size the MP3 music player is a portable unit that can fit in handbags and coat pockets. Users have access to their favorite songs no matter where they are and what they are doing. And as their taste in music changes or expands they simply add additional songs to their MP3 music player collection.

The MP3 music player is able to capture audio files through the use of the computer. The most popular variation of the MP3 music player – the iPod – made linking to the computer simple and convenient for users. So much so that most MP3 music players that are sold today are done so because of their compatibility to Apple software – the company that manufacturers iPod.

On the computer, users can either upload their favorite CDs that can then be downloaded onto the MP3 music player; or they can purchase songs online and then download them to the unit. Apple's iTunes is the most commonly used musical resource for purchasing and downloading songs.

But aside from the convenience in downloading, the MP3 music player is universally revered for its portability. It can be plugged into your vehicle and played through your car's audio system, plugged into headphones and played while you exercise, or plugged into portable speakers and played throughout your home. In any case, the MP3 music player is the most comprehensive piece of equipment available on the market today to play music.