A&R (Artists & Repertoire)

Which is more important for musician's success: talent or marketability?

Asked by mercyfly about 13 years ago

Sadly, the artist’s look and marketability is just as — and in some cases, more — important than the music itself. Some independent labels are more forgiving, but for major labels, this is largely the case. There are certain instances where the raw talent is so undeniable that it supersedes any aesthetic shortfalls (e.g. Susan Boyle), but this has become increasingly rare. The look/vibe of the artist has to be something that is easily conveyed, has a very tangible edge, and exudes youth. The fact is, signing a band is an investment. An older artist (age 30 is roughly the cut-off) presumably has a shorter shelf-life and is therefore a weaker investment. Seems cold and unfair, but putting emotions aside, I’m somewhat sympathetic to the pragmatism of it. If I’m gambling on a new act, I want to mitigate the risk as much as possible.

How’d you get into the music industry to begin with?

Asked by Jaz about 13 years ago

I worked at record stores in high school, DJ’d in college, and did stints with college radio and concert booking before graduating. So I had some experience. But I found myself in New York City in a completely non-music-related job after college, and had virtually no “real-world” music industry contacts. As I was exiting the other job, I pounded the virtual pavement, researching every possible music industry alumni from my alma mater. I reached out to about 30 people. Three responded. One had an unpaid internship available. I took the internship – in the A&R department of a major label – and made myself indispensable. After three months, I was given a job as an assistant to the head of A&R when his then-assistant left.

Do you ever steal music?

Asked by bizmarquee about 13 years ago

It’s been years since I’ve utilized a P2P site. But my reasons for not doing so are more selfish than they are ethical. Simply put, if an artist is making music I enjoy, I want him to make more. I buy his music with the hope that it will further incentivize him to stick with his craft.

Will you listen to my demo?

Asked by SLK about 13 years ago

Sure. Right after I finish dinner with Santa Claus and The Easter Bunny.

Why would an artist get dropped from a major label? Does it all just come down to the bottom line?

Asked by pizziola about 13 years ago

There are numerous reasons, but in short, they generally get dropped at the point where the label feels that the investment has gone bad. Sometimes this happens quickly — the artist may record an album that the label doesn’t see as marketable. Or perhaps they complete and release the album, but radio airplay and sales go nowhere. In other instances, a band may complete their contract (perhaps producing two or three albums), at which point the label may ascertain that they’re on a downward trajectory and opt not to renew. It’s like any investment — at some point the label decides it’s time to allocate their funds toward more promising projects.

What’s your opinion on P2P music sharing? It’s hard to feel sorry for an artist when he claims that you’re stealing from him, and then you see him brandishing a 15-bedroom mansion on Cribs.

Asked by byork about 13 years ago

Books have been written about this, and the debate rages on after nearly 13 years of P2P services. And what sucks is that even world-class statisticians, researchers, and data miners haven’t been able to truly demonstrate whether P2P actually helps or hurts the industry. So take this for what it’s worth. The recorded music biz captured virtually all of the consumer surplus for nearly half a century by forcing consumers to purchase an album’s worth of music when they were really only interested in 1-2 songs. It doesn’t surprise me in the least that consumers have so little sympathy for the industry as they take back that surplus in the form of piracy and single-track purchases. And for the younger folks who never really dealt with CDs in the first place, file-sharing and single track downloads are completely organic practices. Stealing is wrong no matter how you cut it, but at the same time, when there’s no incremental cost to an artist or label for the reproduction of a digital file, it becomes harder to sympathize. And to your point, having artists’ lavish lifestyles thrown in our faces doesn’t help. But it used to be the case that when you purchased music — AKA a CD — you received something real and tangible. A jewel case, liner notes, lyrics — all neatly packaged and presented as a wall decoration. Stealing a CD would feel like real “stealing.” Stealing a digital file — something far less tangible and buried somewhere within a hard drive — just doesn’t carry the same moral weight to the consumer.

I constantly hear incredibly impressive singing talents in places like the subway or even street corners … why don’t some people get discovered while other less talented people do?

Asked by whitela about 13 years ago

That gal singing in the subway — does she have a manager? Does she maintain an online presence? Does she have connections to get her music played in front of the right label audience? And if she has none of the above, does she have marketing plan in mind beyond just singing for whoever will listen? Probably not. Unfortunately, performers, while adept in their musical abilities, don’t always have the knowledge-base, motivation, or financial wherewithal to charge headfirst into the music biz and get their music in front of the right audience. The ones who get signed not only have talent, but also understand (or have management that understands) the hustle/politics required to get through label doors.

Are record labels becoming obsolete?

Asked by borderXing about 13 years ago

The jury’s still out on this one. The good news for artists is that there are innumerable do-it-yourself (DIY) tools which, in theory, obviate the need for a label. An artist can record music with relatively inexpensive software, sell it through primary retail channels (e.g. iTunes, Amazon) via artist services such as TuneCore or ReverbNation, and market themselves heavily through sites like Facebook and Twitter. Whether these DIY methods can allow an artist to truly become a superstar remains to be seen, but many are earning modest livings using these methods. As a practical matter, a record label certainly enhances an artist’s likelihood of achieving commercial success, given the resources available (e.g. tour support, marketing, radio promotion). But to compensate for that, an artist with a label relationship foregoes a significant percentage of the revenue they’d otherwise earn if they we’re going it alone.

How important is seeing a band play live in deciding whether to sign them?

Asked by passda_mike about 13 years ago

Seeing shows is an important part of scouting, albeit less so than in days past. Now with the advent of so much online audio/video and the social media sites from which artists headquarter themselves, seeing numerous shows becomes somewhat inefficient. In my heyday (the early 00’s), I was literally seeing between 20-30 performances per week in lower Manhattan. I left this line of work a long time ago, but I’d imagine the typical A&R rep these days does far more screening online and then cherry-picks only the most promising shows to attend.

What does an A&R rep actually do?

Asked by mortifyia about 13 years ago

Generally speaking, the A&R rep’s function is to find promising musical talent, recruit the talent to sign with the label, and develop the talent into something commercially viable. Scouting can happen through numerous channels, including seeing live performances, listening to demos, and online research. Coordinating record production is a major component, and given the time, resources, and headcount required to actually make a record, it takes solid organizational skills to get the job done. Also keep in mind, an A&R isn’t just searching for performers. He’s also looking for producers, mixers, arrangers, songwriters, etc — just about every type of specialist that may be utilized in making records. This results in tons of meetings, phone calls, negotiations, etc. Finally, an A&R is constantly working with other label departments to ensure that his projects will be adequately funded, properly marketed, and well-promoted.

Can’t P2P file-aharing actually *help* an artist’s popularity and ticket sales?

Asked by soma55 about 13 years ago

P2P sharing can be great for an emerging band, 99% of whose focus is getting exposure in the earlygoings. You’ll frequently hear small/indie bands telling their concert audiences to go steal their new album. Why? Because unless you’re a huge, canonical artist, there isn’t significant money to be made on the sale of recorded music. The majority of earnings come from concert tickets and merchandise (e.g. t-shirts), as these are higher margin and provide more tangible value to the fans. The artists that typically complain the most about P2P are the huge, household names that no longer need exposure to sell music (e.g. Metallica, who were arguably the most vocal anti-Napster band). They’ll sell out concert venues and merchandise booths no matter what. So for them, piracy simply eats into the profitability of their recorded music.

What's your opinion of people that say the music business is too hard to break into, or that it's unlikely you will ever make it in?

Asked by Hunter over 12 years ago

Depends on how you define "break into." There was a time when this meant getting a record deal, and yes, the odds were slim-to-none. But now, literally anyone can record music and distribute it through iTunes, Amazon mp3, CDBaby, etc. So if "breaking into the music business" means making your recordings available for sale, there are no barriers to keep you from doing this. And of course, you can always play live shows, make and sell your own merchandise, etc.

Now, if what you REALLY mean is becoming a well-paid (or even moderately paid) musician, well that’s a different story. Per the above, since *anyone* can now do it, the market is insanely oversaturated, making it more difficult than ever to stand out in the crowd. Fans’ attention spans are shorter, they’re showing up less frequently to concerts, and the idea of "paying for music" has gone the way of pay phones and fax machines. You can obviously still earn money (albeit less and less) through the sale of recordings, live shows, merchandise sales, publishing deals, and dozens of other ways, but there are more and more musicians competing for a piece of that same, shrinking pie.

That said, whenever I’m asked questions like this, I typically advise that aspiring musicians diversify their craft a bit. That doesn’t necessarily mean taking some boring 9-to-5, but in addition to writing/performing/selling your own music, figure out other ways to get paid to perform. Session work, writing commercial jingles, corporate gigs .. these may not be your favorite ways to pass the time, but they can keep you afloat while you work on *your* stuff concurrently.

In short, nowadays it’s easier to get in, but consequently, harder to stand out. But if your goal is less about wealth and more about doing what you love, it’s certainly a possibility.

p.s. You might find this 10/5/12 article from DigitalMusicNews.com interesting/relevant: "What a Successful Artist Can Expect to Make These Days...": http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/permalink/2012/121004successfuls

How do A&R's search for new talent these days? Essentially, where should a new act focus: youtube vids, myspace, other websites, more traditional methods?

Asked by Jay almost 12 years ago

The popular, DIY response is, "Who cares where A&R's search? You don't need them!"

Frankly, I agree with that, but I'll assume for the moment that I'm answering this for someone who knows what do-it-yourself options are available but wants to get a record deal nevertheless.

If you want a quick answer as to where bands should make themselves visible online, I can't tell you much you don't already know: YouTube, Facebook, Twitter... the usual suspects.

But, I'd argue, that's the wrong question to ask. The real question is, "Assuming I make myself visible online, what's going to make an A&R -- or a manager, or publisher, or booking agent -- pluck me from the other X million artists out there?"

In short, it's about track record.

Not too long ago, scouts would scour live music venues hoping to find great new artists. As music became available online, scouts would use the web to supplement the live shows, and help inform themselves as to which ones were worth seeing. If they found artists with a fresh sound and look, they'd attempt to recruit and develop them.

But as the industry took a nosedive, the idea of a label building an artist from scratch became a thing of the past. Signing an artist (no matter how talented) who has yet to build a following assumes an enormous amount of risk. So nowadays, A&R's are looking for talent that already has a dedicated fanbase and has achieved respectable sales (music, tickets, and merchandise). The fanbase and sales don't necessarily need to be huge, and may even be comprised primarily of local fans. But the point is, the A&R and label want to see proof that the artist is worth fans obsessing over.

So what does this all mean? It means that evidence of a fanbase -- regardless of where you dwell online -- is the most important thing. An A&R will be far more impressed with an artist who's sold 20,000 records independently than the artist with no sales but music available throughout the entire social web. So my advice is not to worry TOO much about making sure you've got an active profile on every flavor-of-the-month website, but to maintain a simple presence on 2-3 sites and and focus on the fundamentals.

If you are a small start up label with little revenue, what is a good compensation model for willing A/R reps?

Asked by Tim over 11 years ago

You'll probably have to hire younger folks who have low overhead and the time/energy to do A&R in addition to their day jobs. At the very least, cover their A&R-related expenses (tickets, travel, etc). Offer them generous percentages on artists they get signed to you label. And if feasible, give them an unexpected stipend now and again.

I was recently contact by someone saying they was a A&R for EMI Music Group,They think I have what it takes and they can set up meetings with universal,alantic records and two more labels,if I sent $500.He said I can google him.Is this a scam?Help!

Asked by Jay almost 11 years ago

It's either an outright scam, or someone attempting to play the role of an agent and trying to charge up-front for it (which is not how agents work). Either way, avoid avoid avoid.

Hi Frank!If you were looking to sign a band with a name quite similar to a band that is already a house hold name,and both bands were in the same genre would you advise a name change?Could it cause conflict/ confusion on tours amongst other things?

Asked by Vince020986 about 11 years ago

It depends on just how similar. Assuming it's very similar, I'd advise a name change for both business and legal reasons. On the business side, as you said you're leaving yourselves open to brand confusion. And on the legal side, the last thing you need is a lawyer coming after you – musicians have it hard enough!

Hey whatsup guys ive been involved in music for over 10 years though I have no great achievements or accolades I do though have a good ear for music.. rap..rnb..soul..etc I wanna know how can I seriously become an a&r im fine with being a scout first

Asked by corey from pa about 11 years ago

To paraphrase a report I read recently, there used to be ~500 A&R professionals in the U.S., and now it's down to 50. I can't vouch for either of those numbers, but the message is clear: A&R is, sadly, a dying breed. Instead of developing artists from the ground up, 21st century music economics has labels looking for artist who have already cultivated a sound and fanbase. So while it's great to have a good ear, it's not worth what it once was.

That said, if you're really looking to go into music and develop artists, I'd recommend joining a music management firm, even at a relatively junior level. There you'll learn both the creative and business sides of artist development.

Is there an average percentage a A&R scout would take from the royalties? Or is it salaried?

Asked by Mike about 11 years ago

Historically it was a combination of salary + percentage points (though mostly salary). As for the percentage, that varied given the A&R's history and level or seniority. A "couple of points" was typical. But keep in mind that A&R (and the sale of recorded music) has been *significantly* devalued over the past 15 years so both the salaries and percentages have shrunk accordingly.

What is the average distribution deal ratio for a new artist?

Asked by Jay almost 6 years ago

Why would an a&r ask if I have any medical issues?

Asked by Iwanttoknow almost 7 years ago

What kind of previous experience would be required of an A&R Assistant?
What kind of qualities would that person have to possess?

Asked by Savi over 10 years ago

I'm a young rapper, 14, me and my bro are trying to get famous. We are very motivated, we are looking for an interested producer/manager/promoter like you.
so please answer.
bye

Asked by Dorian over 10 years ago

Do you absolutely have to go to college to get into the A&R business? Where do you start?

Asked by Jay Renee almost 11 years ago

I work n a call center. Im 21 had dreams of bein a lawyer decided I dnt want to do that anymore I have an extreme passion for music.Looked up music industry jobs and an A&R was the perfect job I dnt have any degrees jus a diploma Where should I start

Asked by Jaz almost 11 years ago

What do you have to do for a manager to discover you?
Where is the best place in NYC and Atlanta for a A&R or a manager to find you?

Asked by Pkonadu212@gmail.com about 7 years ago

Do you think there would be an age limit for someone who wanted to switch careers to an a&r rep because their passion lies with music?

Asked by K. Lynn about 9 years ago

I'm 53 am i too old to be an A&R?

Asked by Darryl over 8 years ago

Hi Frank,

What should freelance compensation for an A&R contract look like?

Also, do A&R's get paid from tours and if so what should that compensation look like?

Thank you!

Asked by Novice A&R over 3 years ago

So I want to be an assistant (admin) in this business. That's it. No secret wish to entertain. What do you think is the best route to take?

Asked by Veronica over 10 years ago

I'm a 18 yr old girl currently taking a semester off school to figure out what path i'd like to take.. i have a passion for music (unfortunately I'm not musically talented at all) but want to work in music industry.. any advise/suggestion? Thanks!

Asked by Macy over 10 years ago

I'm 18 and currently taking a semester or two off school to decide what i am todo with my life.. I personally am not musically talented at all but would adore working with music / in the industry.. Any advise or suggestions i can get from you?

Asked by Macy over 10 years ago