Avatar Studios, formerly known as The Power Station, is a recording studio at 441 West 53rd Street in Manhattan, New York City.
The building was originally a Consolidated Edison power plant; but after a period of vacancy, it was used as a sound stage for the television game show Let's Make a Deal. In 1977, it was rebuilt as a recording studio by producer Tony Bongiovi and gained renown as one of the finest acoustic environments for recording in the world. It has won several studio industry awards over the years, including a "Les Paul Award for Special Lifetime Achievement" in 1991.
The complex was renamed Avatar Studios (under the Avatar Entertainment Corporation) in May 1996.
Major acts who have recorded there include Walter Becker, The Kinks, Arctic Monkeys, Aerosmith, Counting Crows, The Clash, Kings of Leon, Marc Anthony, The B-52's, Tony Bennett, Michael Brecker, Devo, Bon Jovi, Dire Straits, Duran Duran, Dream Theater, Bruce Springsteen, John Lennon, Throwing Muses, Serge Gainsbourg, The Strokes, Bryan Adams, Bernadette Peters, Pat Metheny, Keith Jarrett Trio, Neil Young, Harry Connick, Jr., Iggy Pop, Madonna, Journey, Muse, George Michael, Betty Carter, Sum 41, John Mayer, Moby, Vanessa Williams, Blondie, Porcupine Tree, Chic, Joan Jett, David Bowie, The Last Shadow Puppets, The Rumble Strips, Trey Anastasio, Helix, Kathem Al Saher, Gang Starr, Honor Society, Stevie Ray Vaughan and the band Power Station, which was named after the studio itself.
The software Superior drummer 2.0 also made use of the studio for sampling.