What is Artists and Repertoire (A and R)?

A&R stands for “Artists and Repertoire”. It’s the name for the part of a record label or music publishing company that finds new musical talent. A&R people are responsible for finding and developing artists and bands.

The main job of an A&R person is to discover talented new musicians and help them become successful. They work closely with the artists they sign, overseeing their recording projects and helping guide their careers. You can think of them as a link between the artist and the record label.

The role of A&R

A&R representatives have an important job in the music industry. Here’s what a typical A&R person does:

• They go to lots of live music shows at clubs and festivals. They’re always on the lookout for exciting new artists who might be stars.
• When an A&R person finds an artist or band they really like, they try to sign them to the record label they work for. This means the label will pay for the artist to record their music.
• The A&R person then works closely with the artist as they record their songs in a studio. They give advice and feedback, helping to craft the sound.
• They also help plan how the music will be released and promoted to the public. This includes things like choosing singles, making music videos, and planning concert tours.
• Throughout the process, the A&R person is a supporter and advisor to the artist, nurturing their talent.

So in short, A&R people discover the talent, oversee the recording process, and help shape the artist’s overall career and how their music reaches the fans. They’re a very key part of the music business.

How A&R has changed over time

The A&R role has been around for a long time, but it has changed quite a bit over the years as the music industry has evolved.

Back in the old days, A&R people had to rely on going out to shows and getting demo tapes mailed to them to find new artists. They couldn’t just go on the internet to discover new music.

Nowadays, A&R people can find new talent in a lot more ways. They look at data and streaming numbers to see what songs and artists are getting popular online. They check out social media to find artists with big followings. Some artists get discovered through posting their own music on sites like SoundCloud or YouTube.

Another big change is that more artists are making music and getting fans independently, without help from record labels. So sometimes an A&R person’s job is to sign an artist who already has a following and help take their career to the next level, instead of starting from scratch.

Even with all these changes though, the core of what an A&R person does is still the same. They find talented artists, believe in their potential, and help develop them into stars. It’s a job that requires good ears, strong business sense, and the ability to spot that “it factor” in an artist.

Skills needed for A&R

A&R is a competitive field, and the people who do it well have a mix of different skills. Here are some of the key things a good A&R representative needs:

• A deep love and knowledge of music. You have to know a lot about different genres and styles, and have strong opinions on what makes a song or artist great. Trusting your own taste is key.
• Great ears. When an A&R person hears an artist, they need to be able to tell right away if they have talent and potential to be a star. It’s an instinct that gets honed over time.
• People skills. A big part of the job is building relationships with artists and managers. An A&R person needs to be good at networking, negotiating, and inspiring trust in the people they work with.
• Business savvy. At the end of the day, signing artists is a business decision. A&R people need to consider an artist’s commercial potential and how they’ll fit into the marketplace.
• Creative vision. The best A&R people don’t just jump on trends, they help set them. They’re able to envision what an artist could be and help bring that to life.
• Patience and persistence. Developing an artist’s career is a long game. It takes time to go from first discovering an artist to seeing them top the charts. A&R people need to be able to stay committed and ride out the ups and downs.

It’s a unique mix of skills, which is why great A&R people are so valuable. They’re tastemakers, talent scouts, project managers, and artist advocates all in one. When they do their job well, they help create the superstars that shape popular music.

The impact of A&R on the music industry

A&R plays a huge role in shaping the music that the public gets to hear. The artists that get signed and promoted are largely chosen by A&R teams. So in a way, they’re like the gatekeepers of the music industry.

This is a big responsibility, and it has a major impact on music culture. The choices A&R people make help determine what styles and sounds become popular. If an A&R person signs a lot of artists in a particular genre, that genre is more likely to thrive and grow.

Of course, A&R people don’t have total control. They have to consider what they think audiences will like and what will sell. But they do have the power to take risks on new sounds and give unproven artists a shot. Many of the most groundbreaking artists were discovered by an A&R person who saw their potential before anyone else.

There have been many famous examples over the years of A&R people making a huge impact. Like when Clive Davis signed Whitney Houston when she was an unknown teenager, or when Interscope’s Jimmy Iovine signed Eminem from underground rapper to superstar.

In cases like these, the A&R person’s vision and dedication helped launch an extraordinary career. They provided the support and resources the artist needed to realize their full potential and make their mark on music history.

At the same time, A&R people have faced criticism at times for making the music industry too profit-driven. Some feel that the pressure to find “hits” means that A&R people overlook great artists who don’t fit the mainstream mold. There’s a balance to strike between artistic merit and commercial viability.

Despite the challenges though, A&R remains a vital part of the music business. As long as there are talented new artists out there waiting to be discovered, there will be a need for passionate professionals to find them and nurture them. The role may keep evolving, but the core mission stays the same – shaping the sound of the future, one artist at a time.