Sunset Sound Recorders — Los Angeles

Sunset Sound Recorders at 6650 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood has been one of the most important recording studios in Los Angeles since it was founded by Walt Disney's director of recording, Tutti Camarata, in 1958. The Doors recorded their first five albums at Sunset Sound, including Strange Days (1967) and L.A. Woman (1971). Led Zeppelin recorded Led Zeppelin II (1969) partly there. Van Halen made their self-titled debut (1978) in the studio. The Rolling Stones, Prince, the Beach Boys, Janis Joplin, and dozens of other landmark artists have recorded in its rooms.

Sunset Sound's three studios have distinct characters, and the facility's reputation rests on both its acoustics and its engineering staff. Bruce Botnick engineered the Doors sessions; producer Ted Templeman and engineer Donn Landee captured Van Halen's explosive debut. The studio's location on Sunset Boulevard placed it at the centre of the Los Angeles music industry, and its client list across six decades reads like a history of American rock, pop, and R&B. Prince recorded Purple Rain (1984) there, and the studio has continued to attract major artists into the 21st century.

Sunset Sound continues to operate as a fully functional recording facility at the same Sunset Boulevard address. It remains independently owned — one of the few major studios in Los Angeles that has not been absorbed by a larger corporation — and its combination of vintage equipment, exceptional rooms, and decades of institutional knowledge make it one of the most sought-after studios in the world.