Essay by Mona Austin Packaging, Streaming, and the Staying Power of The Clark Sisters Used bookstores hold the history of collectible music. In 1983, compact discs reached American consumers, and a smaller medium set off a revolution in audio recording. Through every change in packaging since, the sound of The Clark Sisters has endured. This is a Slice tribute to their staying power and a look at how the presentation and consumption of music have changed over four decades. One afternoon, to the dread of my allergies, I stepped back in time, facing the dust-laden, stale air inside a used bookstore to browse the CDs. I was searching for nothing in particular when I wandered into the music section and spotted a piece of vinyl treasure. I quickly scanned the area to see whether anyone else was eyeing the jewel I'd found. I snatched up the LP, the medium that predates the CD, with a quiet "eek" and a slightly louder "O-M-G." I gawked at the cover of the 1980 reco...