Audiotree
Founded2011 (2011)
FounderMichael Johnston, Adam Thurston
Country of originUnited States
LocationChicago, Illinois,
Official websiteaudiotree.tv

Audiotree is an American music record label located in Chicago, founded in 2011.[1] The company records and publishes live music sessions.[1] It also promotes artists and organizes live events, and invites artists from around the world to enter a professional studio setting, to record, perform, and release a live EP free of cost.[2][3]

History

Audiotree was founded in 2011 in Chicago by Michael Johnston and Adam Thurston, who saw the potential for a viable business recording live sessions for artist and sharing the revenue from sales.[1][3] Michael Johnston was already working as an audio engineer in the Chicago area, and founded the company to help promote independent artists and bands.[1] Johnston was removed from his post as president and CEO of Audiotree following his arrest for felony unauthorized videotaping in November of 2021.[4]

In 2018 Audiotree announced its extension into Canada, collaborating with Paquin Entertainment Agency to create a Canadian artist discovery platform.[5][6]

Live events

The company's series known as Audiotree Live is broadcast from the studio directly to YouTube and the Audiotree website for fans to listen live.[7] Audiotree company serves as one of the top music video outlets, having amassed over 700 thousand subscribers and 280 million video views on their YouTube channel as of 2022.[3][8]

Audiotree has held its annual Audiotree Music Festival since 2012. The festival is typically held in September, and takes place at the Arcadia Creek Festival Place in Kalamazoo, Michigan.[9][10] The festival was held every year until 2019, when Audiotree shifted their focus to hosting special concerts at their independently owned venues at Lincoln Hall and Schubas Tavern in Chicago.[9][11]

At the end of 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Audiotree began organizing live virtual concerts under a new segment called "Staged". This segment allowed fans to pay a small fee to join a private broadcast of the show, which they could stream as much as they want for 24 hours after completion.[12][13] Time Out Chicago noted that due to Audiotree's extensive prior experience with producing streaming media, the label was "uniquely equipped" to help bands keep performing online during the pandemic.[14]

Business model

Audiotree typically shares revenue from sales of live session recordings with the artist, usually split 50:50.[1] The company works mainly with musicians that are independent or on independent music labels.[3][11] In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic's limitations on public gatherings created problems for music venues,[12] leading Audiotree to release merchandise online to help afford maintenance and other venue fees.[15]

Recording process

In 2015–2016, Audiotree released a series of videos showing behind the scenes of how they record music and prepare video and lighting.[16] The studio holds a wide variety of microphones, ranging from the AKG 460 or the Royer 122 for acoustic guitar recordings, to a Telefunken M-82 used on the bass drum.[16] The company does on-the-spot sound mastering using IZotopes Ozone 9 mastering VST, and partnered with Antelope Audio for analog audio equipment in their control room.[16][17]

In 2017 Audiotree started a new series named Far Out sessions, taking their work outside of the studio and recording live music sessions away from traditional music venues.[18]

Selected roster

A complete roster is available on the Audiotree website; the dates of the selected sessions below are from the metadata of the relevant session pages.[7]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Raymer, Miles (March 10, 2011). "Audiotree Does the Record Business a la Carte". Chicago Reader. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
  2. ↑ "About". Audiotree. Retrieved December 16, 2017.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Daniels, Melissa. "How Audiotree Is Reinventing Music Videos, One Live Performance At A Time". Forbes. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  4. ↑ Channel 3, Andrew Feather | News (December 6, 2021). "Kalamazoo billionaires' son indicted, accused of secretly recording naked nanny". WWMT. Retrieved October 21, 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ "Chicago-based Audiotree launches multi-faceted artist discovery platform in Canada". www.indoorrecess.com. April 5, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  6. ↑ Raine, Michael (May–June 2018). "Audiotree & Paquin Launch Canadian Artist Discovery Platform". Canadian Musician. 39 (3): 14. ISSN 0708-9635.
  7. 1 2 "Sessions – Audiotree". audiotree.tv. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  8. ↑ "Audiotree - About". YouTube. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  9. 1 2 "Audiotree won't stage music festival in Kalamazoo for 2019". Local Spins. January 11, 2019. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  10. ↑ "Audiotree Music Festival 2017 – Festival Outlook". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  11. 1 2 "Audiotree". Open House Chicago. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  12. 1 2 Garcia, Evan (December 14, 2020). "Coronavirus-Inspired Songs From Paul Cherry at Livestreamed Chicago Show". WTTW. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  13. ↑ TV News Desk. "Julien Baker Will Perform Streaming Album Release Concert". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved February 22, 2021.
  14. ↑ Long, Zach (December 22, 2020). "Chicago venues and bands weigh in on the future of streaming concerts". Time Out Chicago. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  15. ↑ Pasbani, Robert (June 9, 2020). "90% of Independent Music Venues Won't Survive the Pandemic According To New Survey". Metal Injection. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  16. 1 2 3 "Behind the Scenes". Audiotree. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  17. ↑ Audio, Antelope. "Audiotree". Antelope Audio. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  18. ↑ Berlatsky, Noah (February 2, 2018). "Audiotree's Far Out video series records bands where you'd least expect". Chicago Reader. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
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