Abbey Road Studios

Abbey Road Studios
FormerlyEMI Recording Studios
Company typeRecording studio
IndustryMusic
Founded12 November 1931 (1931-11-12)
FounderGramophone Company
HeadquartersSt John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England
ParentUniversal Music Group
Websiteabbeyroad.com
Abbey Road Studios
Built1831 (1831)
Architectural style(s)Georgian
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameAbbey Road Studios
Designated23 February 2010
Reference no.1393688
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameZebra crossing near Abbey Road Studios
Designated21 December 2010
Reference no.1396390

Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a music recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, which owned it until Universal Music Group (UMG) took control of part of it in 2013. It is ultimately owned by UMG subsidiary Virgin Records Limited.

The studio's most notable client was the Beatles, who used the studio – particularly its Studio Two room – as the venue for many of the innovative recording techniques that they adopted throughout the 1960s. In 1976, the studio was renamed from EMI to Abbey Road.

In 2009, Abbey Road came under threat of sale to property developers. In response, the British Government protected the site, granting it English Heritage Grade II listed status in 2010, thereby preserving the building from any major alterations.