Albini was born in Pasadena, California, to Gina (nee Martinelli) and Frank Addison Albini. His father is a wildlife researcher. He also has two siblings. In his youth, Albini's family moved often, before settling in the college town of Missoula, Montana in 1974.

As of 2008, Albini is most active as a record producer; however, he dislikes the term and prefers to receive no credit on album sleeves or notes. When credited, he prefers the term "recording engineer."  In 2004, Albini estimated that he has engineered the recording of 1,500 albums, mostly by obscure musicians. More prominent artists that Albini has worked with include: Foxy Shazam, Nirvana, Pixies, The Breeders, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Mogwai, The Jesus Lizard, Don Caballero, PJ Harvey, The Wedding Present, Joanna Newsom, Superchunk, Low, Dirty Three, Jawbreaker, Neurosis, Cloud Nothings, Bush, Chevelle, Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, Helmet, Fred Schneider, The Stooges, Owls, Manic Street Preachers, Jarvis Cocker, The Cribs, The Fleshtones, Nina Nastasia, The Frames, The Membranes, Cheap Trick, Motorpsycho, Slint, mclusky, Labradford, Veruca Salt, Zao, The Auteurs and Spare Snare.  Following the release of Schneider's album Just ... Fred, The Vinyl District's Joseph Neff wrote: "The reality is that when enlisted by the big leagues, Albini took his job just as seriously as when he was assisting on the debut recording from a bunch of aspiring unknowns."  Albini's openness toward working with any artist, regardless of their popularity, was reaffirmed in October 2014 when he said in an Uncut interview that he would produce another album with Page and Plant "in a heartbeat." Furthermore, Stereogum's Tom Breihan wrote in 2012: "And even though he's [Albini] been an outspoken opponent of the major-label system (and of other underground-rock heroes), he's known to work with just about anyone who requests his service".  In February 2018, along with the Scottish lo-fi band Spare Snare, Albini presented a one day Audio Engineers' Workshop at Chem19 Studios in Blantyre, Scotland.

Answer the following question by taking a quote from the article: So does he mostly work with indie artists then?
In 2004, Albini estimated that he has engineered the recording of 1,500 albums, mostly by obscure musicians.