oh, I'm certain Over ear headphones were popular long before beats came along. as an example from the top of my mind I'd like to point to the 1999 music video "Freestyler" and I myself a teenager then was sporting them in the late 90ies early 00s

I was definitely wearing them outside in the 90s. It never occurred to me prior to today that it might have been some kind of youthful faux pas.

Trendsetter!