The history of Bang & Olufsen

The spirit of innovation

Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen

In 1925, working out of a Danish farmhouse, Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen reinvented the radio, developing The Eliminator, the first mass-produced radio that could be plugged into the wall, without the need for a battery. A century later, that entrepreneurial spirit of innovation lives on in everything we do. It’s what drives us: to change how we all hear, see and feel the world.

“A never-failing will to create only the best … persistently to find new ways.” - The Original Vision, 1925, Peter Bang and Svend Olufsen.

A century of firsts

Shaping history

From the beginning we have not just predicted, but also shaped home design trends. Our century of firsts includes reinventing the turntable and introducing touch-sensitive controls that defined the look of an era. We pioneered the creation of universal remote controls, as well as connected home speaker setups. Our latest speaker technology leads the electronics industry in longevity and upgradeability. And the list goes on.

Sound Power

We’re still based in the Danish countryside, but we’ve come a long way from the farmhouse. Our headquarters house a world-renowned R&D team conducting cutting-edge research into acoustics and perception.

The original think different

Always improving

Our 1960s brand slogan, ‘We think differently’, remains inspiring – rooting us in an approach to design that embraces risk and experimentation. This spirit of innovation has led to many of our products being celebrated and collected by leading art and design museums, including MoMA’s permanent collection. But these aren’t museum pieces: we constantly strive to improve.

A commitment to sustainability

True longevity

Creating long lasting products and enduring magical experiences are part of our fundamental beliefs. We embrace the principles of a circular economy and promoting responsible consumption. We work towards the ultimate goal of making all components that impact the product lifetime replaceable, customizable and upgradeable, ensuring we extend the life of our products indefinitely. It is an integral part of our journey.

The power of collaboration

Since Peter and Svend joined forces in 1925, we have continued to value a strong spirit of collaboration and mutual respect born of shared vision and passion. We work with the best talents in the world in order to create iconic designs for the future.