What is A&R?

What is A&R in the music industry??

A&R means “artist & repertoire.” Many believe it is simply a role at a record label with the sole responsibility of signing artists to the label. However, it is much more than just finding new talent. After listening to numerous interviews with A&R professionals and creatives in the music industry, I’ve put together a short guide to the world of A&R.?

To start off with the A&R department at a record label, the responsibilities include much more than finding artists for the label’s roster. Pete Ganbarg is currently President of A&R at Atlantic Records. In an interview with Steve Leeds at William Paterson University, Ganbarg explained what is involved with being in A&R. Professionals in this role not only have to find artists who can show their talent, but also have to make sure the music they are producing is exceptional (5:00). When finding newer artists, it is important to know when an artist is artistically distinct. Most artists will have little exposure and almost no views on their posts, so it is key that A&R professionals know when an artist is unique and has the potential to become a highly successful musician (11:00). A&R professionals sign the artists they truly believe in, then work with them in order to find their voice, literally and figuratively. Artists might need help with finding the genre and style that works best for them. They may not truly understand all their options before signing to a label, so the A&R who signed them will help to find both what they’re passionate about and what their audience is looking for (15:25). Ganbarg also suggests listening to every aspect of an artist’s music. Structure, melody, lyrics… It is important to analyze every piece of the music because changing just two words could make a difference in whether the song is a hit or not. This is something that may not click with artists, but in the A&R world, it is very important to focus on what seems like tiny components of a song (48:20). Watch the interview with Pete Ganbarg here:

Check out another interview with Pete Ganbarg with MUBUTV:

In a Music Biz 101 & More podcast episode, Selim Bouab spoke about A&R at 300 Entertainment. In this interview, Bouab explained the importance of knowing who your signed artist is. Relationships are known to be the base of the music industry, and the relationship between an A&R professional and an artist is not excluded from this. It takes time to sign an act, especially in Bouab’s case, as he suggests spending as much time as possible with artists to get to know them and make it easier to work with them (9:45). It’s important to look for artists who are focused on their own careers. A&R involves finding unique artists who are not worried about sounding like other artists, but instead their own successes and career path (15:00). The work does not stop after signing new talent. While Pete Ganbarg took on a role of analyzing his artists’ music, Bouab explains how he traveled to different cities to connect his artists with the right producers. He would book studio rooms, bring in producers to work with various artists, and allow them to work in sessions to find which producer/artist team worked most efficiently together (28:50).

In another episode of Music Biz 101 & More, Chris Martignago further explained the concept of A&R professionals being fully involved in an artist’s career after a signing. Martignago worked in A&R at Atlantic Records. He emphasized the role of being a partner in the creative process (7:55). As an A&R professional, there is some responsibility with guiding the recording aspect. If an artist can’t write a song that’ll break their career, A&Rs take on the role of finding the right co-writers or producers to work with them (8:45). Artists need to show they are hard-working, make smart career decisions, are open to new ideas, and have the ability to lead. In times when their team may not be able to make a decision, artists should have the ability to guide their team in a certain direction (9:35). This is what A&R professionals seek in artists - showcasing musical talent is not the only aspect of an artist’s success.

Aside from the record label side, there is a publishing side to A&R as well. Katie Jelen of Secret Road Music and Jamie Kinelski of Kobalt Music explained how Publishing A&R works in interviews for Music Biz 101 & More. In Jelen’s episode, she explains how A&R professionals can be considered “matchmakers.” It’s important to always look out for which songwriters are in town and who could enter a studio to start working with artists or other songwriters. For the writers who are signed to the publishing company, it is important to know who they are and which songwriters they could be able to co-write with. A&Rs hold the knowledge of where songwriters are and be able to help them grow creatively (12:50). Jamie Kinelski works in the Creative department at Kobalt Music. While the department is not labeled A&R, it works alongside it and has similar responsibilities. Kinelski describes how her department services songwriters creatively by setting up writing sessions, scouting new writers, and helping them to collaborate. It is important to have the ability to find lyricists if one writer or artist is struggling (16:10). In all of the listed interviews, the idea of maintaining relationships was addressed multiple times. Kinelski further stresses the significance of relationships and how this helps in the A&R process. If she has connected writers in the past and places them in the best way possible, they will seek her out when looking for future work (21:20). She also states that she connects the dots between bands and producers, not just writers (16:55). When searching for new talent, she looks for uniqueness. Artists need to have a unique perspective and be able to express their thoughts through their lyrics. It’s not just what they are trying to say, but also how they are saying it (25:00).

A&R is more than just signing artists to a label. It’s being the “matchmaker” of the industry - connecting songwriters, producers, and artists. It’s going head-first into artist development and being alongside artists through their careers. It’s knowing what to look for in new talent, and having the ability to create and maintain relationships.

Jenna Vitale is a senior at William Paterson University studying Music and Entertainment Industries. As a future music industry professional, she has surrounded herself with as much of the music industry as possible through various internships in Marketing, Social Media, Artist & Fan Experiences, Business Development, and Fan Engagement.