Most would be artists dream about getting signed to a recording agreement, yet only few know anything about the record company personnel responsible for discovering new talents, what these people look for in an artist they wanted, and where and when they look to find one. You might just find that the first step to having a record deal is to take a do it yourself approach to your band’s career. A discussion on A&R can easily take up hundreds of pages, but here is a brief overview for you.
Who and What are A&R Representatives?
“A&R representatives” (acronym for Artists and Repertoire) they are record company personnel whose main job is to discover new talents and help develop careers. The further A&R reps can be promoted and climb up the corporate ladder and will be receiving bigger salaries, and of course they have the more stressful jobs, and also the more fearful they become of losing it. They have great responsibilities to make money for their companies for a long term basis and to justify their current career positions. For this reason, A&R reps often follow whats new, whats hip, and look for “sure things” or wait to see what A&R reps at other labels are pursuing. Also contrary to popular belief, A&R personnel were not the one’s who signs the contract, it’s the record company president. And getting the approval is often the hardest part of the job! The average life-span of an A&R rep at a label is three years or so.
Every band has a band that they identify with or someone they idolize. And every band is dreaming of hitting it big not only for a short while but to become some sort of an icon in the music industry. The music scene is constantly changing and to remain on top for a long time is an achievement in itself.