Beats Electronics created the first pair of Beats headphones in 2008 (Beats by Dre Studio). From this creation came a wave that captivated the world of music, and thus consumers of music as well. Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, the founders of Beats Electronics/Music/Headphones (which has now developed into Apple Music) utilized their connections in the music and sports industries to garner attention through massive campaigning of Beats headphones in music videos and on celebrity friends. With such popularity among the social elite, this momentum trickled down to mainstream consumers and especially young hip-hop followers. Beats over-ear headphones, during its peak in popularity shortly after its initial release were not only a quality way of listening to music, but also a fashion statement as well as users wore them over their heads or necks even when no music would be played. In my opinion, the personal ownership of the music experience that Beats headphones specifically provides has significantly contributed to its success as a billion-dollar company dominating 70% of the headphone market.
