Shure, the legendary audio equipment manufacturer, has officially turned 100 - and to mark the milestone, the company threw a celebratory shindig at its London HQ.
The first international HQ outside of the US, the London branch showed it knew how to represent by bringing together a wide range of audio professionals, industry figures, and partners—all eager to celebrate a century of sound innovation.
The evening featured an array of Shure’s most iconic gear on display, from classic microphones to cutting-edge conferencing solutions.
Yet the highlight of the event came during a talk from Shure’s resident historian, Michael Pettersen, who walked attendees through the company’s incredible journey. From humble beginnings to becoming a staple across stages, studios, and boardrooms worldwide, Pettersen’s speech was a reminder of how Shure has become ingrained in global audio culture.
“All throughout history, you'll see a Shure microphone somewhere,” he remarked, reinforcing the company’s legacy as a silent witness to some of the most defining moments in modern history.
Pettersen’s presentation wasn’t merely a nostalgic look back, but a detailed timeline of how Shure evolved from a microphone manufacturer to both a musical necessity and a boardroom asset.
A Century of Sound: Shure’s Historic Legacy
Shure was founded in 1925 by Sidney N. Shure in Chicago, Illinois. Originally a supplier of radio parts, the company quickly pivoted to designing and manufacturing microphones—a move that would forever shape the audio industry.
The company’s breakthrough came in 1933, when a Shure microphone was used by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt. This marked the beginning of Shure’s association with political, musical, and cultural milestones.
In 1939, Shure revolutionized microphone design with the creation of the Model 55 Unidyne, the world’s first single-element dynamic cardioid microphone. Its iconic design would go on to be associated with countless musical legends—think Elvis Presley crooning into its unmistakable grille.
During the 1940s, Shure supplied the U.S. military with microphones and headphones. Although the war ended, what remained was Shure's determination to make its equipment according to military specifications going forward. Pettersen recounted stories of crushed products—sometimes flattened by cargo trucks—being returned to Shure, only to pass functionality tests with flying colors. It seems that legacy lives on.
By 1969, Shure had become the gold standard for live sound. Every microphone used at the legendary Woodstock music festival was a Shure Unidyne III Model 565. Two decades later, in 1989, U.S. President Ronald Reagan famously delivered his “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!” speech in Berlin through a Shure microphone. The brand had become a trusted presence in moments of global consequence.
While these moments reinforce Shure’s reputation in entertainment, Pettersen emphasized that the company’s story doesn’t end there, highlighting their 2016 release of the Microflex Advance Ceiling Array. Aimed at bringing quality audio to meeting rooms, this self-aiming device represents a company that has become as indispensable to UC setups as it is in a recording studio.
