A method and apparatus for controlling an audio recording level. The apparatus variably controls a recording level of audio data recorded on a rewritable recording medium such as a DVD-RW disk on the basis of either a firstly-recorded audio level average value in song units or a previously-recorded audio level average value in song units, and then records the resultant data on the recording medium. In this way, the apparatus records the audio data to be recorded on a single recording medium at a prescribed audio recoding level within the appropriate range, resulting in even playback audio levels regardless of the type and/or format of audio data.