A&M Studios / Chaplin Studios

The Story

This studio complex was built by Charlie Chaplin in 1917, and classics such as The Gold Rush, The Great Dictator, and City Lights were filmed here. In 1966, Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss purchased the location for the headquarters of A&M Records, transforming one of the old soundstages into a recording studio that opened in 1968, the same year that Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 released "The Fool on the Hill." Artists like Bruce Springsteen and the Rolling Stones recorded here, and the location was also the setting for music videos like The Police's "Every Breath You Take" and Ray Parker Jr.'s "Ghostbusters." In 1985, the studio was the site for the recording of "We Are the World," bringing together music legends for the USA for Africa humanitarian campaign. The property has been designated a Los Angeles historic-cultural monument since 1969. In 2000, the Henson family bought the land for $12.5 million, and the place became the headquarters of the Jim Henson Company, rebranded as Henson Recording Studios. In 2024, it was purchased by musician John Mayer and producer McG, and in 2026 it was renamed Chaplin Studios.

Explore more