Nashville, TN (June 18, 2025)—In Nashville, perhaps no part of town is more revered than Music Row. Now one of 16th Street’s most storied studios is up for sale with an asking price of $4.65 million.
The five-story, 8,560-square-foot building at 1033 16th Ave South is currently the home of Warner Chappell Production Music and Benchmark Sound but is best-known as the former home of Emerald Sound Studios.
The 0.32-acre lot is dominated by the building, which houses a main studio and two smaller ones, all created by studio designer Tom Hidley. There’s also multiple ISO and vocal booths, songwriting rooms, offices and lounge areas with sound dampening throughout. The land also features a 17-space parking lot, including a bus parking pad. The site is zoned as ORI—Office/Residential Intensive, meaning it can be used for high-intensity office and/or multi-family uses with limited retail.
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The studio was built in 1981 by producer/songwriter David Malloy and songwriter Even Stevens; four years later, they sold the site to Dale Moore, who founded Emerald Sound Studio. Over the years, the facility flourished, recording hit albums for the likes of Johnny Cash, George Strait, Faith Hill, Olivia Newton John, Foreigner, Alabama, Brooks & Dunn, Steve Winwood, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Bon Jovi among countless others.
Malloy and Stevens were renowned for their work with early country crossover star Eddie Rabbitt, so it may be no surprise that his hits “I Love A Rainy Night,” “Driving My Life Away” and “Suspicions” were recorded there.
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The building is said to be turn-key and spotless, but it won’t come with any gear; the site will be delivered empty, as the current tenant moves out when its lease expires shortly.
The property is listed by commercial real estate service Avison Young under principal Mike Jacobs and vice president Suzanne Ganser of the firm’s Nashville office.
