Year founded: 1898
Location: London, England
Founder: Emile Berliner
Emile Berliner, a German-born American inventor, founded the Berliner Gramophone Company in 1898. The company's first recording was of Berliner's own voice, saying the words "All right." The company later changed its name to the Gramophone Company and then to His Master's Voice (HMV). HMV became one of the most successful recording companies in the world, and its logo—a dog listening to a gramophone—is still recognized today.