11 Best Atlanta Recording Studios in 2024 (Without Question)
*This article may contain links to affiliate products & services. We have reviewed these services to try and ensure the highest quality recommendations*
Written by Ramsey Brown.
When thinking of one specific city that's had the largest influence on the American music scene within the last decade, no doubt about it — Atlanta, Georgia comes to mind. The city is well known for its rich music history and deep cultural roots; often referred to as the cultural capital of the U.S.
Atlanta’s dominance in the rap and hip-hop game is unparalleled to any other city in the world. The New York Times even deemed it as "hip-hop's center of gravity". Although this certainly holds to be true, Atlanta's magnitude of musical greatness reaches far beyond one genre in particular.
ATL has bred some of the most legendary musicians of varying sounds from Kanye West, John Mayer, TLC, Ray Charles, The Black Crowes, Outkast, Gladys Knight, Young Thug, Zac Brown, Little Richard, T.I. and so many others.
The city's music scene knows no boundaries and truly illustrates the essence of diversity, innovation, ambition, creativity, and swagger.
Undoubtedly, Atlanta has catapulted to the forefront of the music industry, raising the overall standard of production and sound along the way. With much credit of this musically thriving town due back to the unsurpassed recording studios it has to offer.
Atlanta is home to over 300 music studios and counting — all of which quite literally providing space for such creativity and excellence to flourish.
If you are an upcoming artist in the Atlanta area, you are one step closer to greatness by solely being in such a musically immersed environment. Emerging musicians often struggle to find the resources necessary to jump start their careers. However, in Atlanta you will find no shortage of creative minds, spaces, or faces to synergize with.
We know that the city is home to some of the world’s greatest musicians, but it is also home to some of the world’s greatest recording studios as well. There are many different factors to an artist’s success but the journey always begins with a proper recording atmosphere. In this article, I am going to share with you the 11 best recording studios that Atlanta, Georgia has to offer as of 2022.
11 Best Recording Studios in Atlanta
Atlanta is saturated with recording studios all around the city, so it can be difficult to narrow down which one bests suits your budget, style, and artistic needs. As one of Atlanta's residential creators and someone who has personally recorded in many different studios across the city, I feel not only adequate but privileged to compile this list and share it with others.
These 11 Atlanta recording studios we're chosen based on pricing, equipment, staff, hospitality, atmosphere, and the overall creative vibe the studio brings. If you are an artist in Atlanta and want to record where some of the greatest musicians around the world have, check out the list below:
When it comes to the most legendary recording studios in Atlanta, Hot Beats definitely deserves an honorable mention. This facility tucked off in West Midtown has been a highly praised creative hub for artists such as Drake, Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Gucci Mane, Jeezy, T.I., Usher, Kanye West, Chris Brown, and many more. The legacy of Hot Beats dates back to 2002 and has since been a launch pad to success for many artists that we know and love today.
From standing outside of the building, one would have no idea such a pristine creative environment sits inside. When you first get to the studio, you’ll be warmly welcomed by one of Hot Beats phenomenal team members — each of who go above and beyond to ensure your recording experience is nothing but top of the line. The eclectic decor combined with the overall artistic ambiance will instantly spark your creative energy before you even step foot into the recording rooms.
Hung on the walls are countless #1, Gold, Platinum, and multi-Platinum records. From Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter III, Jay-Z's American Gangster, to The Notorious B.I.G.’s Duets: The Final Chapter — all which credit back to Hot Beats and speak to the reputation and prominence the studio upholds.
Recording rooms A, B, and C are equipped with state of the art equipment and technology, isolation booths, and spacious lounge areas. If you need a break from recording you can always hang out in the main area where you will find comfy couches, game consoles, TV's, a large kitchen and maybe some snacks and drinks. Upstairs houses conference rooms, offices, and a more private recording room that could also serve as an entire loft apartment.
You won’t find much information about Hot Beats on the web and this is with the intent to keep the spot a hidden gem in the city. However, word of mouth is the best form of advertising so sessions here tend to stay pretty booked up. If you do get the chance to record at this prized ATL studio and are lucky enough to run into Hot Beats owner and CEO, Russell Freeman — make sure you ask him to share some of his unbelievable stories with you... like when Lil Wayne met a young Drake at his studio, which ultimately projected Drake’s career and inspired his Paris Morton Music 2 verse:
“Cause she supported since Hot Beats
Right before Wayne came and got me
Out of the back room where I was rapping with Jas
Over beats that I shouldn't have in the hopes for the glory
He walked right past in the hallway
Three months later, I'm his artist
He probably wouldn't remember that story”
In 2006, 11th Street Studios came into the Atlanta music scene to provide the city and it’s musicians with a state of the art facility to call their recording home. The two level, 7000 square foot studio is conveniently located in West Midtown and houses 6 different private recording rooms — all including high-end equipment and systems from Mac Pros, Avid consoles, Pro Tools 11, Apogee converters, custom built monitors, Neumann microphones, vocals booths in each room, and the list of gear goes on.
Studio owner, Steve Fisher is a 20+ year music industry veteran and has worked on over 100 RIAA certified gold/platinum releases, been a part of over 50 Billboard #1 releases, 23 of which were Grammy nominated and 5 Grammy winning productions. Needless to say, Fisher and the staff at 11th street are highly educated and passionate about music and audio, delivering top quality results for their clients.
From mainstream pop, underground EDM, rap, country, gospel, and everything in between, 11th Street Studios has and can record it all. In addition to just recording, they also have an in-house record label, music production/publishing company, and offer many different professional services such as pristine mixing and mastering, audio post production, songwriting, and custom beats.
Atlanta’s very own 11th Street studio is the definition of a world class and top quality recording experience. There's no question why artists like Travis Scott, Bruno Mars, Diplo, Jamie Foxx, Future, and so many other huge hit makers have chosen to record there. With rates starting at an attractive $60 per hour to $200 per hour, they can accommodate creators of all types and budgets, providing them with a flawless sounding record to take to the top of the charts.
Patchwerk Recording Studios is the lovechild of former Atlanta Falcon, Bob Whitfield and is now one of the most luxurious and prized recording studios in the entire state of Georgia. Since opening up the doors in mid 1995, they've recorded over 60+ Platinum and Gold records that are now proudly displayed on the studio walls/
27 years later and Patchwerk is still going strong under the ownership of Curtis Daniel III and Mike Wilson who took over back in 2009. The studio has produced mega-hits music for superstars like Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Nick Jonas, Whitney Houston, Ludacris, and many more. The roomy 10,000 square foot building features 5 different studio rooms. The main room, Studio 9000 is a one of a kind, completely isolated recording space that houses 3 isolation booths, a drum room, a spacious lounge, kitchen, and of course the only SSL J9000 console you will find in the state of Georgia. To further exceed expectations, there is a gourmet cook and runner service on hand for their more luxurious clients.
This multi-million dollar studio strives to continue pushing the boundaries of what it means to offer the best recording experience possible. The dynamic-owner-duo, Daniel and Wilson have always shared a common goal to establish Patchwerk as the premier studio of the South and have been well on their way to accomplishing just that.
Beyond their recording services they also offer mixing, mastering, vocal tuning and editing, vocal lessons and coaching, label services, digital distribution, weekend workshops, internships, and so much more. Patchwerk displays a remarkable level of professionalism, customer service, and overall diversity that truly sets the standard for music companies and recording studios not only in Atlanta but across the industry.
Icon Studios is another one of the South’s premier recording facilities located in the heart of Atlanta’s studio row. Icon was established in 2007 by Stone Stafford and his wife Tashia, who set out with the intent to become one of the best recording studios in Atlanta by offering clients an optimal creative environment that can be accessed at an affordable rate.
The studio spans over a 10,000 square foot area with 4 recording rooms, 2 pre-production rooms, a rehearsal area, conference rooms, lounge areas, and more. The vibe and decor at Icon is something quite unique and amazing. Between the neon studio lighting, modern furnishing, custom wall murals, and award winning records that hang on the walls, you’ll feel a wave of creativity and inspiration as soon as you enter the building.
Beyond the visual aspect of the studio, the recording rooms at Icon are said to be some of the best sounding rooms in the city of Atlanta, each equipped with state of the art gear, consoles, programs, and equipment. Some of the industry’s top players have produced hits at Icon from Justin Bieber, DJ Khaled, Akon, and Queen Latifah, just to name a few.
With such an impressive roster of clients, one would assume that the cost to book a session here would be sky hight. However, Icon Studios prides itself in having some of the most competitive rates in the city and offers a variety of price options that new and seasoned creators can appreciate.
Aside from all of the great things mentioned about the studio itself, the staff at Icon is highly trained and knowledgeable about all things involving music. The team’s passion runs deeper than just recording, but to also helping others succeed in the music industry — offering classes, networking events, panels, conferences, podcasts, and internships to benefit those who are looking to enhance their music knowledge and careers in the business.
You can’t talk about Atlanta’s music history and not mention one of the greatest and most influential music groups of all time who hailed from the city — Outkast. The South’s most legendary duo consisting of Big Boi and Andre 3000 has blessed the world with some of the most iconic records and pioneering sounds that remain timeless to this day. Majority of their classic hits were conceived at Stankonia, their own beloved hometown studio.
The Stankonia facility was once Bobby Brown’s Bosstown Studios, where at the time young and newly formed Outkast would scrounge up their last dollars to go record at. Fast forward to 1997, Brown’s Bosstown filed for bankruptcy and the new proud owners became none other than Outkast themselves.
After Outkast took new ownership of their renamed Stankonia studio, the facility became the birthplace for hundreds of hip-hop, rap, and R&B hit records. Some of the notorious works produced there include Beyonce’s Dangerously in Love, Jay-Z’s The Blueprint, Nelly’s Nellyville, Usher’s Confessions, and of course Outkast’s own, Stankonia — which was accredited in Rolling Stone Magazine’s 500 Best Albums of All Time, ranking in at #64.
This recording studio has been a staple in Atlanta since first opening its doors. It is not only home to an iconic collective of musicians, but it’s also a runway to success for local aspiring artists. This state of the art facility features 3 fully functioning recording studios, a live room, event spaces, and lounge areas that are accompanied with a funky and creative vibe that you can't find duplicated at any other studio.
The walls are hung with numerous Gold and Platinum records, of course including their very own certified quadruple-Platinum record, Stankonia. There is a ton of Outkast inspired photography, art, accolades, plaques, trophies, and other notorious awards that fill up this prodigious space. The studio is currently owned solely by Big Boi himself but the legacy of Outkast quite literally encompasses the building.
The history of Super Sound dates back to 1996 when the facility first began operation as Silent Sounds recording studio under the management of Daryl Simmons (producer, artist, and songwriter best known for his collaborations with L.A. Reid and Babyface). Simmons worked with legendary acoustical designer, Russ Berger to construct the building with the most superior sound capabilities humanly possible. After 18 months of complete renovation, Silent Sounds was built and awarded the 1996 Texas Society of Architects award for Interior Architecture.
Today, the space still has the same flawless sound as it did 25 years ago and has since served as an important part of Atlanta’s musical heritage. So when the 6,000 square foot studio went up for sale just last year, Atlanta’s very own T.I. stepped in to preserve this precious piece of recording history. The studio now renamed ‘Super Sound’ is proudly owned by the King of the South himself and operated by chief engineer Elliot Carter.
Grammy-award winning rapper and successful businessman, T.I. recognized the quality, size, legacy, and overall importance this studio held in the city's music community. Since first opening, names like Whitney Houston, Elton John, Beyonce, Usher, Bruce Springsteen, Lionel Ritchie, Young Thug, and of course T.I. himself have regarded the facility as their recording home in Atlanta.
Inside you will find state of the art recording rooms and equipment that boasts the best vintage analog gear combined with modern digital tools that create the best sounding projects humanly imaginable. Their infamous A-Suite has been called the ‘best sounding room in the country’ and contains a spacious lounge area, live room, and control room that holds their most prized possession, a 64-channel Solid State Logic 4000 G console.
There are various other recording rooms, mixing and mastering suites, an upstairs suite (where you can find T.I. primarily recording at), office spaces, a large lounge area that holds multiple arcade games, a pool table, ping pong table, TV’s, and couches for when artists need to take a well deserved break from recording.
Beyond Super Sounds being sonically, visually, and aesthetically superior — the studio staff is what also sets them a notch above the competition. Their team is highly knowledgeable, diverse, passionate, and willing to go above and beyond to ensure their clients have an exceptional recording experience. The facility also implements high security standards to maintain the privacy and comfortability of their high-profile clients.
With that said, don’t expect to walk in and book a session at Super Sounds. They have a strict appointment only policy and you must inquire about booking through their website. Their rates are on the pricier side compared to other studios on our list, but if you do get the chance to book a session at Super Sounds, you will find that the experience you have there will be worth every penny spent.
Tree Sound Studios is located in a comfortable distance just outside of Atlanta’s perimeter and may just happen to be the most unique recording studio that is mentioned on our list. Their impressively diverse roster of clients leaves almost no genre untouched — from Drake, Korn, Aerosmith, TLC, Kenny Rogers, Damian Marley, J. Cole, and so many more. You can name almost any chart-topping artist and chances are they have recorded at the infamous Tree Sounds once before.
Not only is their artist catalog enormous, but the physical studio itself is too. The facility is a massive 18,000 square feet in total, making it one of the largest recording studios in the state of Georgia.
Inside of the Tree Sound complex you will find 6 different private studios, with their A-studio featuring a 64-input Solid State Logic 4064 G+, Pro Tools HD system, and a Yamaha C5 Conservatory Grand Piano. Other facilities include a tracking room, drum room, isolation booths, private producer lounge with a full kitchen, a sound stage, and a spacious area for rehearsals and events.
With this big space comes a big sound and a staff with an even bigger passion for music. Since studio owner and operator Paul Diaz first opened Tree Sound’s doors back in 1992, it has been a hub for producing great music with an atmosphere designed to excite and inspire creativity. The studio staff is an incredible team of professionals who are all highly dedicated to providing each artist with the individual attention they need to produce a music masterpiece.
Their overall attention to detail combined with technical expertise is what has made Tree Sound a staple in Atlanta’s music scene over the past 25+ years. Though it must be noted — the excellence that Tree Sound provides goes deeper beyond just recording. In addition to Diaz's strong passion for music, he is also passionate about environmental sustainability. He now implements green initiatives to every step of the recording process and hopes that it will inspire his A-list clients to do the same.
Tree Sounds is now one of the very few carbon-neutral recording studios that is powered by renewable energy sources and operates largely off of solar energy. They also use biodegradable cleaning products, have an on-site organic herb, spice, and vegetable garden, and a water catchment system that collects and uses rain water for landscaping purposes.
If you are in Atlanta looking for a recording home, you will be doing the environment and yourself a favor by choosing Tree Sound. They’re prices range from around $85 to $225 an hour, making it a viable recording option for artists and producers of all budgets.
End of Autumn Studios or better known as EOA Digital has been serving the Atlanta community since 2014. This 3 room commercial recording studio located in Atlanta’s Midtown district provides clients with audio recording, audio post production, and video post production services. EOA Digital houses 3 studios to choose from, all with state of the art equipment both new and vintage. Gear highlights include an SSL 9000J console with VU metering, and Augspurger 215H mains — just to name a few.
The focus at the studio has been to provide clients with great music, movies, and entertainment 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The staff at EOA consists of professional and highly knowledgeable engineers, all who’ve worked with big name clients such as Lifetime, Atlantic, Sony, Adult Swim, Warner, Universal Records, plus more.
The spacious A-Room is large enough to fit up to 20 people and can be booked out for around $100-$130 per hour. Studio B can fit 8 people and ranges from $60-$80 an hour. C-Room can hold around 4 people and can be booked out for a very affordable $40-$50 an hour. All booking rates include one of their on staff engineers but if you have your own, you can deduct 15% from the total booking fee. EOA undoubtedly has some of the most competitive recording rates you will find in all of the city, that plus their top notch staff and equipment is what makes EOA an easy mention on our list of 11best studios in Atlanta.
Blue Room is a luxury music recording and production environment located in Midtown Atlanta. They cater to professional artists, producers, mixers, and writers who are seeking a world class level production facility, in a private, secure, and conveniently located environment. The studio is home to some of the biggest recording artists in the world such as Usher, Jeezy, L.A. Reid Music Publishing, Lil Uzi Vert, Travis Scott, and many others.
Blue Room or also known as Blue South, has become a staple in Atlanta's recording community since first opening their doors in 2009. They’ve kept the continuous mission to work with artists that want to make timeless music at the highest production level possible — in any genre of music. It was established as an environment run by creative people for creative people and their success is rooted in the team’s individualized approach to the creative process.
Their objective is to “influence the music industry in a positive and ethical way and set a new bar for authenticity, transparency, and integrity” — which is why artists of such high caliber from across the world choose to work there. Beyond the overall artistic vibe of Blue Room, another huge draw is their incredible equipment list. Most recently the studio boasts a legendary Neve BCM 10/2 MK 2 16-channel console — the first and only of it’s kind to land in Georgia.
The studio rates are definitely pricier compared to other Atlanta studios, but the world-class recording experience you will receive at Blue Room South is completely unmatched. They also have a sister studio in Los Angeles, Blue Room West. If you have the opportunity and budget to record at either of the Blue Room locations, we can guarantee you’ll leave with the highest quality results possible.
Loud House recording studios was founded in 2014 and has since become a fundamental part of the rap and hip-hop culture not only in Atlanta, but the entire world. Loud House has facilitated hits for names like Lil Baby, Gunna, Chance The Rapper, Travis Scott, Future, Young Thug, Metro Boomin, Zaytoven, and more. But don’t let those big names intimidate you away from pursuing recording here, Loud House prides itself in giving everyone the opportunity to shine at their studio, from mainstream record label signed artists to underground independents.
They even offer an internship program to those in the community who want to learn and grow in the music industry, along with other industry opportunities like meet and greets, conferences, artist development packages, listening sessions, performance and concert auditions, contests, giveaways, and more.
Their current location in Buckhead has 4 different rooms, each dedicated to meet different recording needs. From the minimalist C and D Rooms for small teams in intimate recording sessions all the way up to the A Room, which is large enough to fit the whole entourage, also perfect for listening parties. All rooms are equipped with state of the art pro audio equipment, including tube compressors, outboard EQs, mixing boards, and the latest interfaces. Aside from everything else, they also have very competitive prices that range from $90 an hour to $150 per hour.
Established in 1969, Doppler Studio began as a modest, one-room studio mainly serving as a base for a jingle company. Since then, Doppler evolved into a fully functioning music recording facility, featuring five different recording rooms, a dance studio and event space.
Doppler, which is now managed and operated by StreamCut is one of the oldest recording studios in Atlanta. Some of the artists who have worked at Doppler include Aerosmith, The B-52's, Toni Braxton, Aretha Franklin, Faith Hill, Whitney Houston, Outkast, Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder. Even former President Jimmy Carter and Gene Hackman were among the many who did voice-over recordings at the studio.
With the film and music industry now being so prevalent in Atlanta, Doppler StreamCut wanted to create a hub where professionals in the industry can come together and work under one roof. They can and have accommodated almost every recording need imaginable — having hosted Mulatto’s NPR Tiny Desk concert, to being the recording home of Outkast’s ATLiens album, to housing the sound design behind Adult Swim animated series, Squidbillies, and the list of impressive credits and clients goes on.
As for music artists, you will find nothing but the highest quality equipment spread among their 5 different recording rooms. Studio 1 offers 32 channels of Universal Audio and Audient preamps, plus a spacious live room for vocal and live band tracking. Their smaller Piedmont Room uses a Universal Apollo x8P interface to offer full instrumental and vocal recording in the adjacent live and vocal rooms. Studio A, Peachtree Room, and the Gold Room all also include Universal Audio gear.
When your song is ready to go, it's time to start promoting it to potential fans! Omari has the best organic promotion services money can buy. With packages for Spotify, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, we will get your music the traffic and attention it deserves! Click below for more information.
SPEAK YOUR MIND
Leave a Reply
How This INDIE Artist Got Over 67,598,275 Streams On ONE Song
Join the No-Nonsense Music Marketing Newsletter to get the most valuable weekly case studies and strategies to grow your music business!
TOPICS
RECENT ARTICLES
© 2024 Omari MC, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
© 2024 Omari MC, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
8 replies to "11 Best Atlanta Recording Studios in 2024 (Without Question)"
Real to Reel in Morrow. Owned by a member of Collective Soul
11th is great is you’re a Trap rapper. Most of the genres and other things listed are wrong though. It’s a trap studio, and gets treated as such. NEVER book the C room either. Any time we were in there, always had computer (ancient) problems. Also too much noise in the sound. We’d end up switching to a different room, and you’ll get a charge for that too. You can also hear the A room inside the B room on a side note. Make sure you double check they’re plugins too. We were re-working a session we did in the B Room, and the main plugins we used weren’t working so we couldn’t do the remix. Also have OG versions of Antares in some of em. Steve has an INCREDIBLE background, but that doesn’t show in his studio or studio care.
Doppler also closed years ago just so y’all know.
Thanks so much for the love. After 15 years it’s always nice to keep making these lists. We appreciate you. 🙏🏽
Someone mentioned that we’re the oldest studio with it’s original owners. Lol! I don’t know if that’s true but now I feel old!
WOW, can’t believe you left out WAMM Studios. They you hear on the southside in the A.
You also missed Grimaldi Sound Studios!!
Doppler closed in 2016.
Soul Asylum Studios is one of the best studios and is nationally known as well. Multiple locations and superior service and security. You slipped up when you didn’t mention them.
Wait… no review on Soul Asylum Studios??