OC Hit Factory

What OC Hit Factory does

OC Hit Factory (OC HIT) is a Costa Mesa, California-based full-service music production, education, and artist development facility founded in 2014 by Thomas Barsoe, a No. 1 International platinum-selling recording artist/producer/manager. The company operates a single physical site at 853 W 17th St housing four acoustically treated recording studios and a dedicated performance stage, and it functions simultaneously as a music school, a record label, and an artist management organization. Its flagship offerings are end-to-end production (recording, mixing, and mastering), critically acclaimed songwriting camps and circles, the Dream Warrior Artist Development Camp (in partnership with LaurieAnn Gibson), music lessons (vocal, songwriting, piano, guitar, production) at rates starting at $50/hr, music video production, creative direction, and global distribution/PR.

OC HIT's commercial model is a direct-to-consumer mix of professional services and recurring lesson revenue, with community-led growth via songwriting camps, open mics, showcases, and a client portal that surfaces Talent Olympics, OC HEAT, and Spotify playlists. Since September 2014, the company states it has produced or co-written more than 250 EPs. It is positioned as a subsidiary record company to Universal Music Group, with additional strategic relationships with ROC Nation (distribution for winning camp tracks), Columbia Records (artist pipeline, e.g., Zhavia), and guest-judge partnerships with Sony Music, Disney, and NBC's The Voice; it is the only studio in Orange County to host auditions for The Voice, American Idol, America's Got Talent, The Four, and Making the Band (MTV).

The customer base is concentrated in aspiring and emerging artists, established artists, young musicians, and TV show competitors in Southern California. GTM is primarily community-led and direct-to-consumer via the website, social media, and on-site engagement, with earned media coverage in LA Times, OC Weekly, and Variety. The firm has 1-10 employees, has not disclosed any external funding rounds, and does not report financial figures.

Name

OC Hit Factory

Legal name

OC Hit Factory

Website

https://oc-hit.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

OC Hit Factory is a Costa Mesa-based full-service music production, artist development, and education facility that records, produces, and develops aspiring and established artists, operating as a Universal Music Group subsidiary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Music production and artist development services

NAICS

Sound Recording Studios (51224), Record Production and Distribution (51225), Music Publishers (512230), Motion Picture and Video Production (51211)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Producers & Production Teams (MPAIAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Production Management & Studio Support Services (Studio Managers, Techs) (MPAIAHAO), Rehearsal & Pre-Production Studios (Rehearsal Rooms, Backline) (MPAIAHAK)

Keywords

• Music production services
• Recording studio
• Songwriting camps
• Artist development
• Music lessons

Headquarters

HQ city

Anaheim

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Production Services: Recording, mixing, and mastering services transforming rough demos into radio-ready records. Since September 2014, OC HIT has produced/co-written more than 250 EPs for upcoming and established artists.
2. Songwriting Camps: Critically acclaimed songwriting camps where participants work in groups mentored by industry professionals including Thomas Barsoe and guest writers from major labels. Camps feature representatives from Sony Music, Universal Music Group, Disney, and NBC's The Voice.
3. Music Lessons: Vocal, songwriting, piano, guitar, and production lessons with highly trained instructors for all ages and skill levels. Rates start at $50/hr.
4. Distribution and PR/Marketing: Global music distribution services and public relations/marketing support to maximize artists' reach and outreach to a global audience.
5. Music Videos: Professional music video production services through a team of directors, photographers, and videographers offering top-notch content for various budgets.
6. Artist Management: Artist development and management services as part of the full-service facility, preparing artists for careers in the music industry.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

OC Hit Factory is a full-service music production and artist development facility offering recording, mixing, mastering, songwriting sessions and camps, creative direction, music video production, lessons (vocal, songwriting, piano, guitar, production), and global distribution/PR. Founded in 2014 by Thomas Barsoe, it operates as a subsidiary record company of Universal Music Group and is the only Orange County studio hosting auditions for major televised talent competitions.

Product overview

OC Hit Factory is a full-service music production and artist development facility, not a software product. The company offers a comprehensive suite of services organized around music creation and artist growth: Production (recording, mixing, mastering), Songwriting Services (one-on-one sessions and camps), Creative Direction and Music Videos, Lessons, and Distribution/PR. The portfolio includes songwriting camps (Songwriting Camps, Songwriting Circles, Dream Warrior Artist Development Camp) that are the company's flagship offerings, along with a Client Portal for account access. The facility houses OC-Hit Studio with four recording studios and a performance stage. As a subsidiary record company to Universal Music Group founded in 2014 by Thomas Barsoe, the company operates as a music services provider rather than a technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Dream Warrior Artist Development Camp: Ultimate opportunity for ambitious artists to take their career and artistry to the next level, featuring stage presence, brand, image, and artistic expression development with LaurieAnn Gibson
• Talent Olympics
• OC HEAT

Products and services

• Production Full-service music production including recording, mixing, and mastering that transforms rough demos into radio-ready records for individual artists and bands.
• Songwriting Services Professional songwriting team offering one-on-one and group songwriting sessions that take artists' lyrics and melodies to a higher professional level.
• Songwriting Camps Critically acclaimed group songwriting camps where participants are grouped with mentors Thomas Barsoe and industry guest writers/producers to create original songs. Past guest judges have included representatives from Sony Music, Universal Music Group, Disney, and NBC's The Voice.
• Songwriting Circles Interactive sessions in which participants write, perform, record, and produce original songs and music videos while receiving constructive feedback using a 'power of the circle' coaching format.
• Dream Warrior Artist Development Camp Intensive artist development camp where Thomas Barsoe works on music and songwriting while LaurieAnn Gibson (credits with Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Beyonce, Michael Jackson) focuses on stage presence, brand, image, and artistic expression.
• Creative Direction Visual brand development service covering mood boards, creative vision, and social media strategy to align an artist's visual identity with their music.
• Music Videos Professional music video production delivered with a team of directors, photographers, and videographers; packages available to fit a range of budgets.
• Lessons Music instruction in voice, songwriting, piano, guitar, and production delivered by highly trained instructors for students of all ages and skill levels, with published rates starting at $50/hr.
• Distribution/PR Global music distribution and public relations services designed to maximize songs' reach and audience, leveraging OC HIT's Universal Music Group affiliation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 250+ EPs produced/co-written since September 2014
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Universal Music GroupcoreOthersOC HIT operates as a subsidiary record company to Universal Music Group, providing access to major label distribution networks, industry connections, and institutional credibility. This relationship positions OC HIT as an authorized pathway for artist development within the major label system.
• Sony MusicminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRepresentatives from Sony Music have served as guest judges and industry guests at OC HIT's songwriting camps, providing participants with exposure to major label perspectives and potential industry connections.
• DisneyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDisney representatives have participated as guest judges at OC HIT's songwriting camps, contributing industry expertise and entertainment industry connections to camp participants.
• NBC The VoiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNBC's The Voice has had representatives at OC HIT songwriting camps as guest judges, and OC HIT is the only studio in Orange County that hosts auditions for The Voice.
• ROC NationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOC HIT partnered with ROC Nation for distribution of winning songs from their songwriting camps. The winning song from a previous camp, 'Ego,' was released through ROC Nation distribution on May 9th, with future winning tracks also receiving professional production and release through this partnership.
• American IdolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOC HIT is the only studio in Orange County that hosts auditions for American Idol, providing aspiring artists with direct access to competition opportunities.
• America's Got TalentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOC HIT hosts auditions for America's Got Talent, positioning itself as a gateway studio for artists seeking competition exposure on this major television platform.
• MTV Making the BandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOC HIT hosts auditions for Making the Band (MTV), offering artists an opportunity to be considered for this reality-based music career development show.
• Columbia RecordsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOC HIT played a pivotal role in the early career of Zhavia, who went on to secure a record deal with Columbia Records after gaining recognition on The Four. This demonstrates OC HIT's effectiveness as a talent development pipeline to major labels.
• The Four (TV)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOC HIT is the only studio in Orange County that hosts auditions for The Four, providing a direct pathway for local artists to audition for this Fox television music competition.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Capitol Studios: UMG-owned world-class recording facility in Hollywood — sister-entity to OC HIT under Universal Music Group, with comparable studio and label-adjacent economics but at substantially larger scale and prestige.
• Sunset Sound: Iconic Hollywood recording studio with decades of major-artist and label session history — comparable in core service (recording/production) and adjacent market, but lacks integrated artist development and label infrastructure.
• EastWest Studios: Historic, high-profile LA recording studio used by top-label artists and producers — overlapping in production-client pool, anchoring value through studio real estate and legacy more than artist development.
• The Village Studios: Long-established LA recording studio hosting major-label artist sessions — competes for the same premium producer/artist pool that OC HIT serves, with similar high-end studio economics but without the music-school or label-subsidiary components.
• Roc Nation: Jay-Z-founded full-service entertainment company that combines label, management, publishing, and artist development, and is already a distribution partner of OC HIT — directly comparable in scope and target market, though larger and broader.

Direct peers

• NRG Recording Studios: Independent recording studio chain in North Hollywood specializing in artist development sessions for emerging talent; comparable independent-studio positioning focused on up-and-coming pop/rock/hip-hop artists.
• Musicians Institute: LA-based music school offering lessons in voice, songwriting, guitar, and production with industry-aligned curriculum and performance opportunities — directly comparable to OC HIT's lesson and music-education business.
• Artist Partner Group (APG): Artist development and management company co-founded by industry veterans; comparable in focus on artist incubation, talent management, and label partnerships serving emerging singer-songwriter talent.
• Hitco Music: L.A. Reid-founded music company combining record label, artist management, publishing, and songwriting/production services — closely mirrors OC HIT's integrated studio-plus-label-plus-management bundle and target artist base.

Regional players

• Westlake Recording Studios: LA-based professional recording facility with comparable production capacity and artist clientele, drawing from the same regional pool of pop/R&B/hip-hop talent as OC HIT.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ochitofficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/ochitofficial
• Instagraminstagram.com/ochitofficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about OC Hit Factory