{{short description|American music record label}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}} {{Infobox record label | name = Audiotree | image = File:Audiotree_Logo.png | founded = {{start date|2011}} | founder = Michael Johnston, Adam Thurston | genre = | country = United States | location = Chicago, Illinois, | website = {{URL|https://audiotree.tv/}} }} '''Audiotree''' is an American music record label located in Chicago, founded in 2011.<ref name="Raymer">{{cite web|last=Raymer|first=Miles|date=March 10, 2011|title=Audiotree Does the Record Business a la Carte|url=https://chicagoreader.com/music/audiotree-does-the-record-business-a-la-carte/|website=Chicago Reader|access-date=October 15, 2011}}</ref> The company records and publishes live music sessions.<ref name="Raymer" /> 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.<ref name="about">{{cite web|url=https://audiotree.tv/about/|title=About|website=Audiotree|access-date=December 16, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Daniels"/>
==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.<ref name="Raymer"/><ref name="Daniels"/> Michael Johnston was already working as an audio engineer in the Chicago area, and founded the company to help promote independent artists and bands.<ref name="Raymer"/> Johnston was removed from his post as president and CEO of Audiotree following his arrest for felony unauthorized videotaping in November of 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Channel 3 |first=Andrew Feather {{!}} News |date=2021-12-06 |title=Kalamazoo billionaires' son indicted, accused of secretly recording naked nanny |url=https://wwmt.com/news/local/kalamazoo-billionaires-son-indicted-accused-of-secretly-recording-naked-nanny |access-date=2022-10-21 |website=WWMT |language=en}}</ref>
In 2018 Audiotree announced its extension into Canada, collaborating with Paquin Entertainment Agency to create a Canadian artist discovery platform.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Chicago-based Audiotree launches multi-faceted artist discovery platform in Canada|url=http://www.indoorrecess.com/chicago-based-audiotree-launches-multi-faceted-artist-discovery-platform-in-canada|date=April 5, 2018|access-date=February 23, 2021|website=www.indoorrecess.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Raine |first=Michael |date=May–June 2018 |title=Audiotree & Paquin Launch Canadian Artist Discovery Platform |journal=Canadian Musician |volume=39 |issue=3 |pages=14 |issn=0708-9635 |url=https://shorttakes.canadianmusician.com/audiotree-paquin-entertainment-partner-on-launch-of-canadian-artist-discovery-platform/}}</ref>
==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.<ref name="Sessions"/> 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.<ref name="Daniels"/><ref>{{cite web |title=Audiotree - About |url=https://www.youtube.com/c/Audiotreetv/about |website=YouTube |access-date=25 April 2022}}</ref>
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.<ref name="localspins"/><ref>{{Cite web|title=Audiotree Music Festival 2017 – Festival Outlook|url=https://consequence.net/festival/audiotree-music-festival-2017/|access-date=February 25, 2021|website=Consequence of Sound|language=en-US}}</ref> 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.<ref name="localspins">{{Cite web|date=January 11, 2019|title=Audiotree won't stage music festival in Kalamazoo for 2019|url=https://localspins.com/audiotree-wont-stage-music-festival-in-kalamazoo-for-2019/|access-date=February 22, 2021|website=Local Spins|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="OpenHouseChicago" />
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.<ref name="Garcia"/><ref name="BW">{{Cite web|author=TV News Desk|title=Julien Baker Will Perform Streaming Album Release Concert|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwmusic/article/Julien-Baker-Will-Perform-Streaming-Album-Release-Concert-20210217|access-date=February 22, 2021|website=BroadwayWorld.com|language=en}}</ref> ''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.<ref>{{cite web |last=Long |first=Zach |date=December 22, 2020 |title=Chicago venues and bands weigh in on the future of streaming concerts |url=https://www.timeout.com/chicago/news/chicago-venues-and-bands-weigh-in-on-the-future-of-streaming-concerts-122220 |website=Time Out Chicago |access-date=October 16, 2021}}</ref>
==Business model== Audiotree typically shares revenue from sales of live session recordings with the artist, usually split 50:50.<ref name="Raymer" /> The company works mainly with musicians that are independent or on independent music labels.<ref name="Daniels">{{Cite web|last=Daniels|first=Melissa|title=How Audiotree Is Reinventing Music Videos, One Live Performance At A Time|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/melissamdaniels/2017/04/06/how-audiotree-is-reinventing-music-videos-one-live-performance-at-a-time/|access-date=February 22, 2021|website=Forbes|language=en}}</ref><ref name="OpenHouseChicago">{{Cite web|title=Audiotree|url=https://openhousechicago.org/sites/site/audiotree/|access-date=February 25, 2021|website=Open House Chicago|language=en}}</ref> In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic's limitations on public gatherings created problems for music venues,<ref name="Garcia">{{cite web|last=Garcia|first=Evan|date=December 14, 2020|title=Coronavirus-Inspired Songs From Paul Cherry at Livestreamed Chicago Show|url=https://news.wttw.com/2020/12/14/coronavirus-inspired-songs-paul-cherry-livestreamed-chicago-show|website=WTTW|access-date=October 16, 2021}}</ref> leading Audiotree to release merchandise online to help afford maintenance and other venue fees.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Pasbani|first=Robert|date=June 9, 2020|title=90% of Independent Music Venues Won't Survive the Pandemic According To New Survey|url=https://metalinjection.net/its-just-business/90-of-independent-music-venues-wont-survive-the-pandemic-according-to-new-survey|access-date=February 25, 2021|website=Metal Injection|language=en-US}}</ref>
==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.<ref name="BTS"/> 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.<ref name="BTS">{{Cite web|title=Behind the Scenes|url=https://audiotree.tv/behind-the-scenes|access-date=February 23, 2021|website=Audiotree|language=en-US}}</ref> The company does on-the-spot sound mastering using iZotope Ozone 9, and partnered with Antelope Audio for analog audio equipment in their control room.<ref name="BTS"/><ref>{{Cite web|last=Audio|first=Antelope|title=Audiotree|url=https://en.antelopeaudio.com/2018/04/audiotree/|access-date=February 23, 2021|website=Antelope Audio|language=en-US}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite web|last=Berlatsky|first=Noah|date=February 2, 2018|title=Audiotree's Far Out video series records bands where you'd least expect|url=https://chicagoreader.com/blogs/audiotrees-far-out-video-series-records-bands-where-youd-least-expect/|website=Chicago Reader|access-date=October 16, 2021}}</ref>
==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.<ref name="Sessions">{{cite web |title=Alumni – Audiotree |url=https://audiotree.tv/#alumni |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250822081249/https://www.audiotree.tv/#alumni |archive-date=August 22, 2025 |access-date=September 5, 2025 |website=audiotree.tv}}</ref> <!-- ONLY LIST ARTISTS BELOW THAT HAVE WIKIPEDIA ARTICLES; NO EXTERNAL LINKS --> {{Div col|colwidth=22em}} * Passafire (January 29, 2012) * Caspian (September 12, 2012 & February 5, 2016) * Geographer (January 21, 2013 & October 16, 2015) * K.Flay (February 21, 2013 & July 24, 2015) * Shakey Graves (June 20, 2013) * The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die (March 1, 2014) * Nathaniel Rateliff (May 1, 2014) * Maybe April (July 22, 2014) * Foxing (July 24, 2014) * Glass Animals (September 10, 2014) * Artifex Pereo (January 15, 2015) * Rayland Baxter (February 22, 2015) * The Suffers (April 7, 2015) * Guster (April 13, 2015) * Genevieve (April 28, 2015) * The Main Squeeze (June 9, 2015) * Mitski (June 20, 2015) * Turnover (August 11, 2015) * Mothers (September 23, 2015) * Amasa Hines (October 3, 2015) * Hemming (October 6, 2015) * Emily King (October 28, 2015) * Jill Andrews (November 9, 2015) * The Bottle Rockets (November 23, 2015) * Jared & The Mill (December 4, 2015) * Charly Bliss (January 15, 2016) * Julien Baker (January 16, 2016) * Low Cut Connie (February 22, 2016) * The Wild Reeds (February 25, 2016) * Raging Fyah (March 19, 2016) * Escondido (March 24, 2016) * Lucy Dacus (March 28, 2016) * Covet (March 30, 2016) * The Yawpers (April 5, 2016) * Pinegrove (April 30, 2016) * Lydia Loveless (July 8, 2016) * Liz Cooper & The Stampede (October 10, 2016) * Rainbow Kitten Surprise (January 26, 2017) * Crying (March 2, 2017) * Slothrust (March 10, 2017) * Sinai Vessel (April 6, 2017 & April 21, 2021) * Snail Mail (June 2, 2017) * Forth Wanderers (June 8, 2017) * Andrea von Kampen (June 9, 2017) * Ratboys (June 30, 2017) * Michigander (July 12, 2017) * Pet Symmetry (July 17, 2017) * Camp Cope (July 21, 2017) * Nicole Atkins (August 9, 2017) * Larkin Poe (August 28, 2017) * Strange Ranger (September 7, 2017) * Soccer Mommy (September 14, 2017) * Wild Pink (September 29, 2017) * Peach Pit (October 17, 2017) * Cuco (January 17, 2018) * Samantha Fish (January 29, 2018) * Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears (October 4, 2018) * Beach Bunny (November 20, 2018) * The Accidentals (January 3, 2019) * Emily Blue (January 10, 2019) * Laura Stevenson (May 30, 2019) * Vansire (August 8, 2019) * We Are The Union (September 18, 2019) * Yours Truly (October 8, 2019) * Mega Bog (October 10, 2019) * Phum Viphurit (October 15, 2019) * Tasha (January 9, 2020) * Marco Benevento (November 8, 2019) * Heart Attack Man (January 14, 2020) * Kneebody (February 10, 2020) * Reuben and the Dark (March 9, 2020) * Stonefield (March 18, 2020) * Tenci (September 29, 2020) * Charmer (December 7, 2020) * Momma (band) (April 1, 2022) * Jordana (May 8, 2025) {{Div col end}}
==See also== * List of record labels
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:American independent record labels Category:2011 establishments in Illinois