How does A&R work?

Music A&R, music agents, music managers, these terms may seem a little technical, but they actually aren’t. A&R stands for Artists and Repertoire. It is basically a major component of a music label or a record company that signs different musicians like yourself. But the process of the record label finding you or vice versa, includes music A&R. 

 

In this article, we will answer these questions of yours:

1. What is A&R?
   
   
2. What do these professionals do?
   
   
3. What’s the pay?
   
   
4. How do you become an A&R rep?
   
   
5. What can you expect in 2024?

 

What is A&R?

 

Music A&R is that part of an organization (record label, music distribution company) that stands for Artists and Repertoire, purely responsible for hunting talented musicians like yourself, and guiding you through the building of your brand image. Think of the department as a bridge between the record company that has decided to sign you and yourself, as a music artist. The defining characteristic of the Artist and Repertoire department is that they are always on their toes, highly alert, and networking to find a great sound in the music scene. 

 

What do these professionals do? 

 

It is pretty obvious now that the individuals working in this department, are usually in active search of new music talent. Do not be surprised to find A&Rs sitting at a restaurant, listening to a band play their music, very intently - because that is their job. They will always be attending local gigs and shows, public events, music festivals, and so on. So after finding the talent, what else do A&R reps do?

 

Liaising with artists:  

The next step in the process is to try and represent the artist’s musical vision, creative choices, and decisions to the record label and help bridge the gap between the two parties in the deal. A&R reps try to act as a liaison between the music artist, and the label. Without a great professional collaboration of a deal and a working relationship, none of the two parties would benefit. A&R reps try to establish the foundation of a long-lasting working partnership between the artist as well as the record company. This doesn’t mean the A&R reps try to back the artist in times of disagreement. A&R reps also have a duty towards the record company they have convinced, to sign the artist in the first place. Hence, the A&R reps also brief the artist about the company’s ideologies, goals, and expectations and try their best to align the two perspectives into one impactful musical vision. 

 

Pssst…come here: More often than not, the stage at which A&R reps find new musicians is when these artists are budding and discovering their sound. Rarely is the case where A&R reps bag established musicians (because if they are, the chances of them already being signed with power record labels would be high). Therefore, A&R reps also play a major role in helping artists identify and build their sound. 

 

Oversee the artist’s process:

After discovering a promising new act, A&R reps keep working actively with the artist, serving as both a guide and an interface with the company’s business affairs division to support the musician’s unique sound and brand image during stages of music production. They also provide creative assistance and suggestions during production, frequently connecting musicians with producers and other key players. They help artists network and find the professionals they need to work with, such as music arrangers, mastering professionals, music producers, and so on. 

 

You, as an artist, shouldn’t lose sight of the sound that best describes you. Just be aware that the label(s) you work with might not be a suitable fit going forward if the circumstances change. If your sound changes, and you cannot do anything but pursue it, make sure that your relationship with the A&R is good enough for them to find you a record company that will be a great place for your newfound sound. Remember that A&R reps may work individually, as in, they can freelance, and they may also be exclusive employees of just one record label. Make sure that you work with A&R reps who freelance because that will naturally give you, the artist, a wide range of options you could try out for your music. 

 

A&R reps are responsible for ensuring that the label can still market your music as it evolves, to maintain that partnership. Labels these days, especially boutique ones, frequently concentrate on a general tone. Making contact with other artists on that label may help you maintain your position there, and A&R reps can help you get those contacts. At the end of the day, labels exist to sell units. The songs you co-write and release with them must appeal to both their and your respective fan bases. By overseeing your process as a musician and the projects you work on, A&R reps ensure that it results in a product both parties are satisfied with.

 

Pssst…come here: In an interview, Wendy Goldstein, the famous A&R rep who did the job for The Weeknd once, explained that when they were working on the album Beauty Behind The Madness, Abel was heavily inspired by Wu-tang Clan’s debut solo album called Liquid Swords. She researched and identified that there were a few elements in his music that sounded ‘sonically wrong’ at the time, but also right at the moment Abel was searching for his sound. What she did, we believe, is identify chaos and help Abel organize them to make his music sound as appealing as it does today. If there are moments where the artist feels clustered or lost, the A&R rep could step in and help the artist in whatever way is required.

 

Music industry updates: 

A major task that comes in the daily to-do list for A&R reps is to always be updated about the music industry, follow trends, and see what is working for artists, and what is not, to be better able to cater to your needs as well as the label’s expectations. A&R reps are responsible for getting updates and facilitating that information to the client - the music artist. This also means that they will most likely know which names are becoming the talk of the town, should you or should you not be associated with them, which events you could attend to network better, which press conferences you could be a part of, why it would make a difference for you; overall, be able to report to you the events you should be aware of and report to the label, the results of the events and trends taking place for better analysis. This is where the term Repertoire comes into play - it is always a series or lists of events and news they’d collect with the aid of the record label, that ultimately help you navigate the music industry better. 

 

Another task of an A&R rep is to help build the narrative of the artist for their albums of EPs, by telling them the themes that are working and bringing great numbers to different artists and help compare which other artists make similar music to try and identify themes that you could also indulge in. 

 

Pssst…come here: While the aforementioned is a task at hand for any A&R rep, it is good to remember that an A&R rep becomes great at what she does when she can A&R ANY type or genre of music. The defining element of a trend is that it changes - you could use it to your advantage and be the trendsetter instead of following one. To do that, you need to gain the trust of your A&R and answer the most important question they will brutally ask - ‘Are there any real songs here,’ something that Wendy Goldstein has asked many artists, time and again. 

 

Music advertising assistance: 

An organic and essential place to start is with social media and email lists. Artist and Repertoire representatives working with you would have your social media handles as well as the record label’s accounts to begin with. A preliminary analysis is done on both and see what would click well in the digital world. One important task they would have is to make it as simple as possible for people to find and engage with your music. To increase participation, consider making short films or graphics instead of just linking to SoundCloud, Spotify, or YouTube content. It also doesn’t have to be expensive. Your A&R can help you figure out the details for each strategy with your music PR or music promoter. 

 

Music advertising is a crucial element, not only in the market for your music but also for the record label’s reputation. So always getting the common ground right, especially with the marketing front, is one of the priorities that A&R reps try to attend to. You also need to understand that, the A&R department will work closely with other departments such as social media marketing, physical promotion, and so on, but for you, the artist, the A&R rep is the point of representation. 

 

What’s the pay?

 

A&R reps may charge a fee for your service from you as well as the record label if they are working independently. If A&R reps are employees of a record label, then the entry-level positions can be expected to make approximately $25,000 annually. In the UK, entry-level positions make around 50,000 pounds a year. 

 

Remember that A&R reps are not entitled to royalties, but they could get commissions if they manage to strike a deal with the label for the artist. The terms may vary given the popularity of the artists, the numbers their music ends up making, the record label’s terms, and so on. 

 

How do you become an A&R rep?

 

Let’s get our basics. It is nearly impossible to land a job in this department if you do not have experience in management, production, or marketing, at any institution that operates in the music industry. It’d be a headstart if you interned at a record label. 

Now do you need to do your bachelor’s in music production or music making? Not really. But, would it be great if you did a good course on marketing and the music business? YES. 

 

Getting involved in the industry and going out there to work in the field is very important in shaping the networking and communication skills the job description asks for. Goldstein informed that she couldn’t get to sit with the likes of Abel until she got the necessary and credible experience. She started off with a small record label and networked her way through to find professionals who are big names in the music industry, be it songwriters, mixers, producers, and so on. She built a resume good enough to speak for her capabilities that landed her projects with The Jonas Brothers and Ariana Grande. 

 

Of course, anyone who aspires to work in the A&R department has to have a foundation of experience, and that has to start from scratch. You obviously cannot jump from one small project to landing a huge client (although YouTube video tutorials will tell you otherwise), so a resume that shows realistic growth is great! 

 

What can you expect in 2024?

 

Gone are the days of the pandemic when A&R resorted to social media presences and strategies because there was no scope for in-person/physical music events. Right from pop stars such as Taylor Swift, Doja Cat, and The Weeknd to smaller, independent artists like The Weathers, and Raveena, everyone’s got a stage. So for artists, life is quite literally, back to normal - you should be able to find these professionals in music events, perhaps more eager than ever to listen to new sounds in person. 

 

Additionally, the genre shifts that are happening drastically in the music industry are another great advantage for artists of today. A&R reps are more open to trying out new sounds because the audience for it at the moment is huge! The surge in afrobeat, synth pop, and indie music from the pandemic to post-pandemic was groundbreaking for record labels, making the industry more open to giving newer and fresher ideas and experimental music, a fair chance. 

 We at GreaseRelease, have a bunch of curators on our network who are looking for new & exciting music to push on their massive playlists. If you make music and want to reach a wider audience, check out our submission platform and get a chance to reach millions of listeners! Submit your tracks now!