The Evolution of A&R

How A&R has changed over the decades

Artists and Repertoire (A&R) is the division of a record label or music publishing company that is responsible for talent scouting and supervising the development of artists and songwriters.

Throughout the decades, A&R has changed and developed into something entirely different than its original ways.

In the past, the most commonly known part of A&R’s work was to go out and scout for talents and get them a record deal. Today, you don’t even have to leave your house to find new music and artists. That’s due to technology and platforms like Twitter, Spotify, and YouTube.

A&R used to play a massively important role as a mediator between the artist and the record label and worked very closely with the artist. They would convince the record label to sign them, find the band/artist a record producer and studio, and help develop many aspects of the band/artist’s career, such as style, promotion, and marketing. Today, thanks to the internet, all of that can be achieved by the artist. Nowadays, recording software is relatively inexpensive, accessible and can be run pretty much by anyone, and marketing and advertising can be performed by social media platforms (such as Facebook).

So, does A&R exist anymore?

Yes. Record labels still have A&R reps and talent scouts working for them, and they have different ways to discover new talented musicians. Also, the internet has opened up tons of possibilities for tech-savvy consumers to find new bands easier.

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