Established in 2006, Beats Electronics is the brainchild of legendary artist and producer Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine, Chairman of Interscope Geffen A&M Records, who set out to develop a new type of headphone with the capability to reproduce the full spectrum of sound that musical artists and producers hear in professional recording studios.

In January of 2008, Dre and Iovine announced a partnership with audio innovator Monster Cable to engineer "Beats by Dr. Dre," the most advanced headphones ever developed.

Check out Beats by Dre on Zappos.com!

Graham K is a key component of the Zappos music world and is deticated to making the downtown scene more viable. Graham has been working for Zappos for two and a half years
and is currently the Social Commerce Product Manager. This is his 6th position in his Zappos jorney! When he is not busy at work, he is playing in the band CUPPS. To learn more about Graham and his love for music, I asked him 5 questions:

1) What are your top five albums of all time and why?

G: Pink Floyd "Dark Side of the Moon"- This is the ultimate concept album. Experimental meets rock n' roll meets space. It's everything you could want in a record.

The Flaming Lips "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots" - The Flaming Lips not only accomplished a wide range of feelings and textures on this record, they pull ALL of it off live too.

Radiohead  "Kid A" - This record taught me that music is just as much about subtlety as it is about sound. Another great live band.

Cursive "The Ugly Organ" - Ugly Organ was one of those records that was in constant rotation in my high school to college transition. I can remember where I was during parts of this record.

Nas "Illmatic" - Seriously one of the best hip hop records of all time. No hype, all hooks.

2)What new artist(s) are you currently excited about?

G: The Black Lips, F*d Up, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., Los Campesinos, SBTRKT, Girls, Sleepy Sun, TV on the Radio

3)What is your favorite venue to see shows at in Las Vegas and who are your favorite local artists?

G: It WAS the Huntridge and now probably the Boulevard Pool. As for local bands, I dig Minor Suns, Hassan and Phil A, Beau and the Outfit, Dinner Music for the Gods, Kid Meets Cougar and lots more.

4)What was the last song/artist you listened to(be honest)?

G: Sleepy Sun – "Marina" (off the record FEVER).

5)How has music impacted your relationship with employees at Zappos?

G: I have met many other musicians (I'm in a band with one other Zappos employee and two previous employees), had the opportunity to do booking for Zappos events and tapped into the fun and weirdness with parodies, music videos and more during my time here.

Hank M. from our ZCLT team has been on the phones since July of 2011. Hank is somebody that is always eager to talk about music and personifies rock n’ roll like nobody else at Zappos. To learn more about Hank and his love for music I asked him some music-related questions:

What are your top five albums of all time and why?

H: Faded Grey "A Quiet Time for Desperation"- Local Las Vegas Legends, this record represents a specific period of my life that I will always look back on with fondness.

Turbonegro "Apocalypse Dudes"- I believe this to be one of the greatest rock and roll records of my generation. Also, one of the tightest live bands I've ever seen.

Minor Threat "Discography"- A record I picked up in high school, and to this day it's still fierce and intense as I remember it.

The Murder City Devils "Empty Bottles, Broken Hearts"- When they were touring on this record I drove 8 hours to Salt lake City to see them.

The Observers- "So What's Left Now"- A few years ago I tried to set up a show with these dudes with the help of a friend. Due to a breakdown in communication I got the dates wrong and dudes showed up to my house and me saying "Sorry, I screwed up. I don't have a show for you". Luckily, they were bunch of sweet guys and we just ended up walking down the strip. I still have a friendly acquaintance with some of the members to this day.

What new artist(s) are you currently excited about?

H: The Wax Idols- I've been playing their "No Future" LP non stop!

What is your favorite venue to see shows at in Las Vegas and who are your favorite local artists?

H: I really like the set up at the Artifice. Also, Yayo Tacos is pretty rad! Favorite local bands: Candy Warpop, Pigasus, The Dirty Somethings. 

What was the last song/artist you listened to(be honest)?

H: Jay Reatard –“I Know a Place”

How has music impacted your relationship with employees at Zappos?

H: It's been a great way to find common ground and build new relationships.

Zappos VCC Andrew with Nick Stagge, Global Training Manager for Skullcandy

Z: What was the most fun part about working with Nick?

A: There were a lot of cool things about working with Nick. Mainly it didn’t even feel like I was working with someone I just met. Nick reminded me of a bunch of my friends, so it just felt like we were just kicking it with one of my homies!

Z:  What was your favorite feature he highlighted?
 

A: We learned a lot from him just going over some of the technology.  Mic 1 and Mic 3 tech was cool.  Skullcandy has the new Fix’d headphones coming out and to see him demonstrate how good they stay in the ear was cool. He hung some pretty heavy boxes from his ears. Pretty tight.

Z:  What was the most interesting tip he gave you about presentation?

A: The sense of just being yourself while explaining the headphones.  You start to learn from just seeing the product in your hands after he's explained what the thought process was going into making the certain model headphones.

Z:  Where did you take Nick while he was here?

A. He decided to leave a lasting impression on us by kicking a hole in to the wall. He did make a pretty sweet “Z” shot though. After work we ended up shooting around on the basketball court for a bit while we waited on traffic to die down. After ballin, we headed downtown [Louisville] to eat at Doc Crows. The food was great and the converstations were even better. While everyone got beer and or sodas, I proceeded to get the manliest drink ever--the Shirley Temple.

Left to right: Top Men's in Brown, Brasil Men's in Grey, Slim Women's in Purple, and Slim Naja Women's in Black

You’re probably wondering why we’re featuring Havaianas sandals when summer just ended. Well, for one, Havaianas are a perennial staple that we just can’t live without. And of course, those of us lucky enough to have warmer weather well into the fall know just how Havaianas quickly become a go-to must have.

This past summer, Havaianas hosted a concert by LA indie band Best Coast. Front woman Bethany Cosentino describes how sandals epitomize the laid-back beachy style of LA perfectly. We couldn’t agree more! We love wearing our Havaianas as long as the weather permits!

Check out Best Coast in action at Space 15Twenty in Los Angeles:

This week on Inside Zappos the AV Team steps into the rap game. If you missed last week's episode you can watch it HERE.

We have a lot of music fans here at Zappos HQ, and we thought it would be interesting to find out what people's first concerts were. We were definitely right; it was interesting to say the least. We even got some Zapponians to serenade us with sweet melodies from their first concert. It's like a musical walk down memory lane. Enjoy!

Although Coachella 2011 is behind us, the season of summer music festivals is just beginning. There’s Jazzfest starting next weekend, Bonnaroo in early June, and Lollapalooza and Outside Lands in August, just to name a few.

With so many amazing music festivals happening across the country, it’s a good time to round up some of our favorite festival essentials to keep you focused on enjoying the music and dancing your heart out.

1. Crossbody bag: This is a must to keep your hands free for drinks and dancing all day. The Harvey Seatbelt Bag Treecycle Berkley Bag is a great eco-friendly choice with its “tree-cycle” hemp interior lining. The drawstring opening gives it a relaxed vibe.

2. Sunscreen: Now, you may not think of this as an accessory, but sun protection is the most important thing to have if you want to preserve your beautiful skin and prevent sneaky sunburns. Try a mess-free spray sunscreen like Hampton Sun SPF 35 Continuous Mist.

3. Cool shades: A pair of oversized sunglasses is a summer essential. Try a pair in white like the Polaroid Eyewear Lillian Polarized sunglasses.

4. Straw hat: It’s all about low-maintenance style when it comes to music fests. Throwing on a stylish straw hat like the Oakley Straw Beach Cap fedora is a great way to spare you from having to fuss too much with your hair. It also protects your face from the harsh sun.

5. Strappy flat sandals: With the amount of walking and dancing you’re bound to partake in, flat sandals are an absolute must. The Sam Edelman Gigi is a sleek and simple choice that’s totally versatile.