The sequencer on the 808, a row of 16 color-coded buttons, offered artists a way to store beats they programmed. Courtesy of Roland Even if you don't know the Roland TR-808 drum machine by name, ...

Released in 1980, the Roland TR-808 was designed as an alternative to an acoustic drum kit for musicians to record with, but took on a new life in hip-hop, pop, R&B, techno, house and electro, as ...

The TR-808 drum machine help crafted many classics records, to celebrate the device’s 40th anniversary, Roland decided to bless beat junkies with some freebies. There is also a very insightful ...

If you’re into hip-hop and pop, you’ve probably heard “808” at some point. That’s a reference to the iconic Roland TR-808, a drum machine created by Ikutaro Kakehashi in 1980. Its unique dribbling ...

Acclaimed instrument manufacturer Roland announced plans to reissue its iconic TR-808 drum machine in a new, smaller form factor as the TR-08, a move that has musicians and producers across the globe ...

The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer is credited with more musical innovations than you can wave a plug socket at – even after its rocky start. After flopping commercially upon release in 1980, because ...

The Roland TR-808 and TR-909 are iconic drum machines that powered a ton of the music from the '80s and '90s. While both hardware units were recently revived as the TR-08 and TR-09, they haven't been ...

You don't have to look too hard to hear the influence of Roland's TR-808 drum machine and SH-101 synthesizer. Bedrock to hip-hop and house for the last 30 years, the pair of Roland machines has left ...

The Roland TR-808 flopped commercially. So how did this drum machine become a defining sound in dance music, pop and rock, asks Tom de Castella. You may not recognise the name. But you'll have heard ...

Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. is The Verge’s executive editor. He has covered tech, policy, and online creators for over a decade. The sound ...

If you are looking for a little bit more of a unique flash drive to store your music creations on, what could be better than this retro-styled 8GB TR-808 Flash Drive? The USB flash drive is based on ...