Absolute Music

What Absolute Music does

Absolute Music Inc. is a privately-held, founder-owned audio production studio headquartered in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, operating since approximately 1985 with 1-10 employees. The company functions as a full-service audio house delivering three integrated service lines: original music composition, precision post-production, and location sound recording, all executed out of a world-class multitrack studio facility. Its work supports film, television, and digital advertising clients, with named engagements including Netflix (a documentary on Prince's legacy), CBS, NBC, HBO, Twin Cities Public Television/PBS (national productions including Laura Ingalls Wilder: From Prairie to Page and America Outdoors), and a portfolio of commercial advertising clients across gaming, retail, and technology. The business is run by sole owner Johnny Hagen, who serves as composer, audio engineer, and sound designer, and whose prior role as Director of Audio at Twin Cities Public Television is the foundation of the company's network relationships.

The company generates revenue through project-based audio production services billed to enterprise and independent media clients, with no publicly disclosed pricing model or contract structures. No software products, AI/ML tools, recurring SaaS revenue, or app-based offerings are part of the offering set — all value delivery is human-craft services performed at the Minneapolis facility or on location. Customer acquisition relies entirely on founder relationships and reputational referrals within the broadcasting, streaming, and independent filmmaker communities; no formal marketing channels, partnerships, or distribution infrastructure are disclosed in the source material. The company has no disclosed funding rounds, no parent or subsidiary entities, no M&A activity, and operates as a single-entity Minnesota corporation under direct founder control.

From a strategic and investment perspective, Absolute Music is best characterized as a mature, lifestyle-scale professional services firm rather than a growth-stage or venture-backable enterprise. Its competitive position rests almost entirely on the personal reputation, technical skill, and network of the founder, creating both a meaningful talent moat and a key-person concentration risk. The absence of disclosed technology platforms, AI capabilities, recurring revenue contracts, or expansion plans suggests a stable, flat-trajectory business optimized for founder autonomy and craft quality rather than scale.

Name

Absolute Music

Legal name

Absolute Music Inc.

Website

https://absolutemusicinc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Absolute Music Inc. is a Minneapolis-based, founder-owned audio production studio that composes original music, provides post-production sound, and records location audio for film, television, and advertising clients including Netflix, CBS, NBC, HBO, and PBS.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Audio Production Services

NAICS

Sound Recording Studios (51224)

akta.pro primary industry

Audio Engineering Services (Tracking, Mixing, Mastering) (MPAIAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Remote Recording & Online Session Services (MPAIAHAL)

Keywords

• Audio post-production
• Original music composition
• Sound design services
• Location sound recording
• Film and TV audio

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Core offering

Absolute Music is a full-service audio house that composes and produces original music, records voiceovers via Source Connect, and delivers sound design and post-production for film, television, and digital advertising. Services span original music composition, precision postproduction (sound design, mixing, mastering), and location sound recording, supported by a world-class multitrack studio in downtown Minneapolis.

Product overview

Absolute Music is a full-service audio house offering a unified suite of sound production services. The core offerings include original music composition, precision postproduction, and location sound recording—all designed to work together as an integrated audio solution for film, television, and digital advertising projects. Their world class multitrack studio in downtown Minneapolis serves as the primary production facility, supporting all three service lines with professional-grade recording and mixing capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Original Music Composition Custom music scoring and original composition services for film, television, and digital advertising, creating emotionally resonant scores tailored to visual media.
• Precision Postproduction Professional audio post-production services including sound design, mixing, and mastering to deliver broadcast-quality final audio tracks for film, television, and digital advertising.
• Location Sound Recording On-site sound recording services for film, television productions, and live events, capturing high-quality audio in various environments.
• World Class Multitrack Studio Professional multitrack recording studio facility located in downtown Minneapolis, equipped for high-end audio production with international directors and producers.

Named customers10 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights2 records

Direct peers

• Human Worldwide: Music and sound design agency creating original scores and audio identities for global brands, agencies, and film/TV projects. Directly comparable to Absolute Music on the advertising music composition side.
• MassiveMusic: Global music and sound agency composing original scores and sonic branding for advertising, film, and brand campaigns. Direct peer to Absolute Music in original music composition and sound design for advertising/TV/film clients.
• Heard City: New York-based audio post-production and music studio serving advertising, film, and television clients with composition, sound design, and mix services. Direct comparable to Absolute Music's integrated audio house model.
• Elias Arts: Long-established boutique music and sound design studio for advertising, film, and television. Closely aligned with Absolute Music on full-service original composition and post for commercials and TV.
• Ant Food: Independent music and sound design studio producing original scores, sonic branding, and audio post for commercials, film, and digital media. Closely comparable to Absolute Music's composition-plus-postproduction offering.

Emerging players

• Sound Lounge: Independent audio post-production facility providing mixing, sound design, and original music for advertising, television, and digital content. Comparable as a competing boutique offering similar post-production and scoring services.
• Formosa Group: Independent post-production house providing sound design, mixing, and original score for film, TV, and advertising. Comparable at the audio post-production and original music intersection where Absolute Music competes.

Others

• Spitfire Audio: Premium sample library and virtual instrument company serving film, TV, and advertising composers. Adjacent ecosystem participant — tool/vendor feeding into the same composition workflow Absolute Music performs for clients.

Broad incumbents

• Technicolor (Post-Production): Global post-production conglomerate offering sound, picture, and VFX services for film, television, and advertising. Comparable at the category level to Absolute Music as a provider of broadcast-quality post-production audio.
• Skywalker Sound: Lucasfilm's premier film/TV audio post-production facility offering sound design, mixing, and scoring for major studio features. Represents the large incumbent end of the same audio post-production value chain Absolute Music serves.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Absolute Music