Longtime audio giant Bose announced on Wednesday that it's acquiring Skullcandy, the lifestyle brand known for its bass-heavy headphones. Skullcandy will remain a separate company within Bose's Premium Consumer Audio business and will still be based in Park City, Utah.

The acquisition isn't out of left field. Bose has lent its audio expertise to Skullcandy over the past year under its Sound by Bose licensing program. Skullcandy designs the headphones and then works with Bose on the audio front. The relationship began with the Skullcandy Method 360 ANC earbuds in 2025 and more recently, with the Crusher 1080 ANC headphones in July.

When WIRED spoke with Skullcandy CEO Brian Garofalow in July about the partnership, Garofalow highlighted the 23-year-old company's ability to build community and culture, specifically around the board sports community (the first Skullcandy product was designed on a ski chairlift).…