A&R (Artist & Repertoire)
As proud independent contractor and A&R for Record Union, we offer You the support You need in order to reach out with your music to 95% of the worlds market. If you want to be a part of our vision, please contact us at info@highlifemusic.se and send us a personal message about Yourself and hopefully we can distribute Your music around the world!
The wikipedia definition of an A&R (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%26R);
.. “The A&R division is responsible for discovering new recording artists and bringing them to the record company. They are expected to understand the current tastes of the market and to be able to find artists that will be commercially successful. For this reason, A&R people are often young and many are musicians, music journalists or record producers.[1]
An A&R executive is authorized to offer a record contract, often in the form of a “deal memo”: a short informal document that establishes a business relationship between the recording artist and the record company.[1] The actual contract negotiations will typically be carried out by rival entertainment lawyers hired by the musician’s manager and the record company.[2]
A&R executives rely mostly on the word of mouth of trusted associates, critics and business contacts.[3] They also tend to favor bands that play in the same city that the record company is located.[3] Contrary to popular belief, their decisions are rarely based on unsolicited demo tapes sent by musicians. (However, major labels outside the United States and various independent labels may accept demos.)
Overseeing the recording process
The A&R division oversees the recording process. This includes helping the artist to find the right record producer, scheduling time in a recording studio and advising the artist on all aspects of making a high-quality recording. They work with the artist to choose the best songs (i.e.repertoire) to record. For artists who do not write their own music, they will assist in finding songs and songwriters. A&R executives maintain contact with their counterparts at music publishing companies to get new songs and material from songwriters and producers.
As the record nears completion, the A&R department works closely with the artist to determine if the record is acceptable to the record company. This may include suggesting that new songs need to be written or that some tracks need re-recording. A key issue is whether the album has a single: a particular track which can be used to market the record on radio. As Tom Petty sang in “Into the great wide open”, the industry cliche, “I don’t hear a single!” refers to this process.
Assisting with marketing and promotion
Once the record is completed, the A&R department (with assistance from marketing, promotion and the artist) chooses a single to help promote the record..”
