—1910’s

Nathaniel Baldwin has been credited as the inventor of the first modern headphones. He wanted to create a device that could amplify sounds to assist him at his Mormon temple.  Improving on previous headphones, Baldwin used two ear cups and two bands that would neatly be seated on the top of your head. It contained a copper wire that would connect to each earcup, which was able to produce sound without using electricity. This invention attracted the military and the U.S. Navy was soon placing orders on them.

At the time, the U.S. Navy faced challenges in finding effective communication solutions for use in submarines. The confined spaces and unique acoustic environment of submarines made traditional communication methods less practical. The new technology offered improved audio quality and clarity, making it suitable for communication in the challenging conditions of submarines.

However, Balwin never patented this design, remarking that his invention was of little value. Even though he later sold them for commercial use, he soon fell into financial ruin.

—1920’s

During the 1920s, the development of the dynamic driver became a crucial component in modern headphones and speakers. In 1921, the dynamic driver was invented by Rice and Kellogg. Their invention was an important development in the field of audio technology.

The dynamic driver used a diaphragm connected to a coil of wire placed within the magnetic field of a magnet. When the electrical current goes through the wire, it will cause the coil and diaphragm to move. This movement generates sound waves, which would then reproduce the audio signal.

In the following years, a German manufacturer, Eugen Beyer, founded Beyerdynamic and introduced the DT 48, which is often considered the world’s first dynamic headphone. This model, released in 1937, used a lightweight diaphragm and a dynamic driver in order to improve audio performance.

—1950’s

In 1958, John C. Koss, an American musician introduced the Koss Model 390 phonograph along with the Koss SP-3, the first commercially successful stereo headphones. While it looked similar to Baldwin’s model, it added pads for comfort and had bigger earcups. Rather than used for communication, this device was specifically used for music listening. This model gained popularity and contributed to the increasing consumer interest in high-quality audio reproduction. People invested in home audio equipment for a better listening experience as the use of headphones could be connected to home stereo systems.

While in-ear headphones (earbuds) had been available since the 1930s, on-ear and over-ear designs gained prominence in the 1950s. These designs provided better sound isolation and improved comfort for extended listening sessions.

—1960’s

Throughout the 1960s, the first wireless headphones began to appear, otherwise known as radio headphones. During this time, the radio was very popular and it was possible to use one of these devices to listen to the radio wherever you went. They had built-in radio antennas and speakers implemented in them to provide a better listening experience.

In 1966, there was a brand collaboration between Koss and the Beatles, producing the Beatlephones. This marketing success led to the headphones gaining popularity among teens and the youth.

In 1969, the first open headphone was introduced as the Sennheiser HD414, a type of headphone that allowed external sound in. It was considerably more lightweight and was capable of being worn in public.

—1970’s

In 1979, there was a breakthrough when Sony created the Walkman, a portable cassette player that allowed individuals to carry and listen to their music wherever they went. It was a compact and lightweight device that featured a cassette player, headphones, and a stereo amplifier. The Walkman quickly gained popularity for its convenience and personal listening experience. This shift to portable, personal audio devices marked a departure from the traditional home stereo system. It became a symbol of personal freedom and autonomy in choosing one’s music.

—1980’s

After the waking success of Sony’s Walkman, many other competitors started showing up in the market to compensate for the consumer’s demands for headphones. The audio company Bose invented noise-canceling headphones. Even though there were earlier designs of these headphones in the early 1950s, it wasn’t till 1989 that they were commercially sold to the general public. These devices would have a built-in microphone that collects all the outside noise from your surroundings and produces the opposite sound waves in order to neutralize the noise.