Emile Berliner was a German-American inventor best known for developing the gramophone, a device that played recorded music using flat discs instead of cylinders. Born on May 20, 1851, in Germany, he immigrated to the United States in 1870, where he made significant contributions to the field of sound recording. In addition to the gramophone, Berliner also invented the microphone and made advancements in telephony. His work laid the foundation for the modern music industry and audio technology, influencing how sound is recorded and reproduced today. Berliner passed away on August 3, 1929, leaving a lasting legacy.