It’s a big news week for A&Rs in the African entertainment landscape.
The last decade has seen the African music industry undergo some cultural shift moments, evolution, and explosion internationally. By chance, think of development in lyricism, sound engineering, A&Ring, songwriting, and collaboration.
With many accolades to some major key players and decision makers – Like A&Rs who continue to keep their nose to the grindstone, working closely with labels and independent artists to provide the kind of work execution to showcase their artistry to the world. Closing strategic partnership deals with major international labels, international repertoire, publishing deals, and many more.
There is still so much more potential within the African music scene and the community that has grown around it and A&R duty are first of its kind in building a marketplace connecting all aspiring artists with producers, songwriters, and industry decision-makers. Will also be responsible for developing superstar talents in creating a music catalog and the business side of it.
A&R Duty is an independent creative-based company founded in November 2021. Providing creative support and services to both inspiring musicians, A&R executives, and industry networks in each of the music market ecosystems and exploring new collaborations, and opening a wealth of opportunities for music creatives.
Based in Nigeria but with global outreach, A&R duty will work closely with labels, music distribution companies, Music journalists, and music executives to serve as a trend spotter, and talent developer responsible for breaking new artists to the music business markets.
“THE COMPANY WILL POSITION ITSELF AS A TOP-OF-LINE AGENCY JOINING FORCES WITH CREATIVES AND EXECUTIVES, LOOKING TO CONNECT THE DOTS AMONG A&RS ACROSS THE AFRICAN MUSIC LANDSCAPE, PRODUCERS, SONGWRITERS ALIKE SUCCEED ON A GLOBAL SCALE”. According to Babatunde Makinde Williams, Co-founder and Director of A&R for A&R duty.
Over the few years, A&R Duty has previously worked closely with different independent labels and a variety of artist projects in the Nigerian music scene with proven stacked records, under the umbrella of a parent company “Gidioti Limited” all while supporting up-and-coming artists and involving in talent development programs and mentorship.
The company’s rosters have featured the likes of Los Angeles CA, based Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Jackiesboy, Cynthia Morgan, Kiss Daniel, Dapo Tuburna, Chinko Ekun, Shaydee, Psalm E, Wale Turner, Dj Neptune, Dj Jimmy Jatt and many more.
Added Omotola Slasha, Head of Marketing For A&R duty, Our Modus operandi at A&R duty is special delivery, the company which will also operate as a community and marketplace for diverse cultures, languages, and creative collaboration amongst other interesting business and creative opportunities the company has to offer. Working alongside A&Rs in their drive to empower artists across the African music continents.
Looking forward to expanding our repertoire with new talent and opportunities whilst continuing to drive our artist-centric culture forward.
To read more about where the future of Artists and repertoire in the African music industry is headed through A&R duty and to sign up either as an A&R or Music artist visit here – http://www.aandrduty.com
Connect with A&R Duty on social media: @aandrduty
In the music industry, signing an artist is a very important decision. You will be investing time and money into this person and their career. Therefore, either you are A&R,Label owner, producer or talent manager it is essential that you do your due diligence before signing that contract.
There’s a lot to consider when you’re signing an artist. Here are some of the most important factors to consider when deciding whether or not to sign an artist.
A&R is a crucial role in the music industry. It’s the job of an A&R person to find and sign new talent, as well as develop it for commercial success. But what makes an A&R person successful? What are the qualities of someone who excels in this role?
Here are some things you should keep in mind when hiring an A&R:
A good A&R will have a deep understanding of the artist’s history and how they’ve developed over time. That means knowing how they started out, why they decided to pursue music, and what happened in between.
If you’re looking at someone who has never signed an artist before, you want to make sure they have this kind of knowledge. It shows that they understand where artists come from and what drives them to create their art.
An artist who has been around for a while may not need as much coaching on their development process because they already know what works for them. But if you’re looking at someone who has never been signed before or doesn’t have much experience working with artists, it’s important to get them up-to-speed quickly so that they can help guide your new signing through their career path from day one.
As an A&R executive, it’s your job to find and sign artists that will help your label grow. But before you sign someone, you need to know what you’re getting yourself into.
Do they have a unique sound? Do they have a big social media following? What makes them different from other artists?
What kind of artist do they want to be? Are they looking for commercial success or is their focus on artistic growth? What’s their ultimate goal in music?
You also need to consider how well albums have sold for other bands in your genre. This will tell you whether or not this particular band might be worth signing or not
An A&R’s job is to sign artists and help them develop into successful acts. But the A&R must also look at the entire picture of an artist’s career.
If you’re just starting out as an A&R, there are some important things to consider when signing an artist.
You’re going to need fans before anyone else will take you seriously. If you don’t have a built-in fan base, consider if they have a way of building one on their own. Some artists have huge social media followings, while others make music that appeals directly to listeners who might not be on social media at all. The more options an artist has for growing their fan base, the better their chances are in making it in the music industry.
The best way to determine an artist’s talent level is by listening to their music or watching them perform live. However, if they’re still developing their craft, it can be difficult to tell how good they really are until they’ve had some time to improve their skills and build confidence on stage. In this case, ask yourself whether their songwriting abilities are strong enough for them
As an A&R, you’re going to be responsible for finding and signing new artists. But before you do that, there are a few things you need to consider.
The first thing you need to know is whether or not your artist is ready for the spotlight. Artists can be ready for fame at any age, but there are some things that will help them get there more quickly and easily than others. If your artist doesn’t have good vocals yet, you should probably wait until they do before trying to take them on tour or promote them in any way. If they don’t have enough experience performing in front of crowds or making music videos or photoshoots, then again this could be something you want to wait on before bringing them into the spotlight.
It also helps if your artist has a solid social media presence so that fans and potential fans can see what they have to offer before signing with your label. If they don’t have any kind of following already established online, then you’ll want to make sure they start working on this right away once they join your label so people will know who they are when their album comes out!
The next step is checking out
The A&R Guide to Signing Artists is a book that sets out the basic principles of A&R and how they apply to sign artists. The book covers all aspects of artist development, from signing artists through to the release of their first album. It also covers how artists can be developed through social media and other digital channels.
The book is aimed at people who are interested in becoming an artist manager or an A&R person for a record label. Still, it would also be useful for anyone who wants an insight into how the record industry works.
The nature of A&R and the artists signed by a record label is changing. The power and potential of the ‘hit’ song are now just one of the factors when signing an artist whereas a decade ago it was, along with the image of the artist, the most important. These days due to the increased power of the consumer, the development of social media and its mass appeal and promotional power, the financial risks that record companies now face (due to the decline in physical album sales and the effect that has had on their traditional business model) and the hundreds of media channels have meant that signing an artist is no longer done on a whim or one person’s hunch.
The role of A&R has changed from being solely responsible for finding new artists to managing those artists already signed. The days when an A&R person would travel around trying to discover new acts have gone. The world has changed regarding how music is marketed and promoted; therefore, so must A&R departments if they remain relevant in today’s music industry.
The A&R scout is the talent spotter and is the ears and eyes of the record labels and publishing companies. The A&R scouts’ job is to discover the hottest new artists around and to be aware of the latest media & cultural trends. They will attend dozens of gigs, artist showcases and industry meetings throughout the week to enable them to be aware of every new artist being talked about within the industry.
The A&R scout will listen to demos sent in by bands they may have heard about through word of mouth or friends in bands who have previously been signed. If an act impresses them enough, they will invite them into their office for a meeting or invite them to a showcase gig where all the record labels will be present.
During this meeting or showcase, the band will play several songs and talk about their history, goals etc. If they impress during this meeting then they may be invited back for another meeting at their office or even asked to come into one of their offices for an interview with their marketing team. At some point during these meetings, they will discuss signing contracts if they want to sign with a label and negotiate how much money will be paid out if they do sign up with them.
If both parties are happy then an agreement will
The role of A&R is more about selecting quality music than anything else. This means that A&R need to know about all the best new music, the latest hyped artists and ‘buzz’ bands, and the bidding wars between labels and the most popular in-demand artists around. In summary, if the artist is good enough A&R will know about them.
So how do you get their attention? How do you make sure they pick up your music? And how can you pitch yourself so that they take notice?
A distinctive voice, vocal style, quality and a great emotional connection with a song.
Songs: The ability to write hit quality songs to promote artist and album, to gain radio play, press reviews, and television performances and ultimately drive record sales and brand awareness.
Music & Image
The musical direction and production of the record. Does the music fit the current market and follow trends or is it a trendsetter and market leader?
The image has to be marketable. Does the artist’s look suit the music? What are the Press and TV implications and brand potential?
This is the personality, charisma, mystery, confidence, commitment, passion, ambition, humour, and political/controversiality of the artist – The Star Quality!
The back story is an essential marketing tool. It helps connect emotionally with the consumer, gain media interest and provide journalistic content for the media helping to build a celebrity profile.
An artist needs to show that there is a lot of promotion, fan engagement and media activity surrounding them. This shows commitment and ambition too. The more website traffic, Youtube views, tour date bookings, fans at gigs, Merchandise sales, Facebook ‘Likes’, online chatter, press coverage, music reviews and music downloads the more it attracts attention from A&R and the media. The more attention the artist gets the less risk it is for the label and the more sales potential there is.
This is the professional team around the artist. If the artist is represented by a manager with proven success, has a credible press and radio PR agent on board, a live agent and possibly a music publisher then this can increase the chance of success and lessens the financial risk for the label.
The financial investment required. Pop artists such as boy bands and girl bands are very expensive acts for the label due to the costs of transport, styling, hair, make-up and the polished production values required when promoting these types of acts. Additional revenue streams will be important to the label when considering signing a pop act. Solo artists and rock/indie bands are much more economical for labels to promote and work with. This can be an important factor in deciding whether to sign an artist.
We hope that this A&R Guide to Signing Artists is useful for any music lover out there looking to strike it big in the music industry. We have attempted to cover as much of the “art” and “science” as we could, so take a look at our music industry blueprint and get your career on its way!
The history of A&R can be traced back to the early days of the recording industry when companies such as Columbia and Victor were signing acts to contracts. In those days, there was no such thing as independent record companies. The artists signed to labels like Columbia or Victor all came through the same talent scout system, which was referred to as artist and repertoire.
The first record company that used this system was Columbia Records in 1917. The company’s founder, Eraklai V. Phonograph Company, hired a young man named Frank Walker to find new talent for his label. Walker did this by going around New York City and visiting theatres where musical acts were performed. He would watch these acts perform and then sign them if he liked their sound.
This system continued until 1928 when Victor Talking Machine Company started its talent search department under the direction of Arthur Judson and Harry Jolson (father of Al Jolson). This department was known as the Artists’ Bureau; it continued until 1931 when it became known as Artists Records Incorporated (ARI).
ARA continued through World War II, but by 1947 it had been replaced by a new company called Artist Management Association (AMA).
The term “A&R” was coined by Jerry Wexler, who was then a talent scout for the Atlantic Records label. He coined the term “A&R” to refer to his duties at Atlantic, which included both artist and repertoire.
Wexler later became famous as the vice president of A&R at Atlantic Records. He had been hired by founder Ahmet Ertegun in 1947 after having worked with Ertegun at Billboard magazine.
In 1963, Wexler described his role at Atlantic Records: “I was doing all right by myself, but then I got into work with artists such as Ray Charles, Bobby Darin, and others. They were also responsible for discovering major talents such as Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett, and Otis Redding.
Wexler claims that he turned down numerous artists including Elvis Presley, James Brown, and Bob Dylan because they did not fit the image that he wanted for the company: “Blues singers were beginning to be heard on what we called rhythm-and-blues stations on their local radio stations” (p. 12). However, he also states that “we didn’t get into the rock until we found out that it paid
A&R – BACK TO THE beginning over a hundred years ago the music industry consisted of the live industry and the music publishing business. The public could listen to popular songs by either going to see a live concert or by listening to someone playing the piano at home or by mechanical means via the Piano Roll. Before the invention of phonographic records (the 7 and 12-inch vinyl records as they came to be known), the music business was dominated by sheet music sales. Music publishers would discover a songwriter and print their music on sheet music to sell in music stores to the public.
The emergence of popular entertainment and the success of Vaudeville variety shows across America gave a huge boost to the publishing business. With Vaudeville and Broadway shows in New York, music publishers and instrument stores started to congregate around an area that would become, famously, known as Tin Pan Alley. These publishers would hire pluggers to promote their sheet music in stores and to Vaudeville and Broadway performers.
PHONOGRAPHnRecords were invented by Thomas Edison in 1877 and were originally called Phonographs – the ‘P’ in the copyright symbol ℗ stands for Phonograph. The development of Phonographs over the next few decades ushered in the first record companies that saw commercial value and market potential.
Record companies, in the form we know them today, came to the market soon after the invention of the Phonograph by Edison, and the further development and innovations made by Emile Berliner shortly afterward. With the advent of record labels at the turn of the 20th-century records became the main sound-carrier format that people purchased to enjoy music. Music publishers needed artists to record their songwriter’s songs, whereas Record companies needed publisher’s songs for their artists to record. For the first half of the century, the recording industry’s business model was founded on the hit singles market – it was all about the ‘Song’. In the early 1900s, there were three major record companies: Victor, Edison, and Columbia. Today, just over 100 years on and after many mergers and buy-outs, there remain three major record companies: Universal, Sony (that owns Columbia records), and Warner – and the business, once again, is all about the song.
Although phonograph records existed since the 1880s, for the first 50 years the album and Long Playing record format (LP) did not exist commercially. The technology not arrived at the mass market which could produce over 45 minutes of music in one sound-carrier format. The phonographic record was the disruptive technology of the time and the record industry replaced sheet music as the main form and structure of music consumption.
Artists such as Frank Sinatra, Peggy Lee, Ella Fitzgerald, Louis Armstrong, Nat King Cole, and Bing Cosby were amazing performers, personalities, and vocalists who could capture a great song’s emotional essence and vocal performance. However, they didn’t write the songs so the artist & Repertoire representative would marry the artist to the song (or the artist with the songwriter, composer & arranger). Song standards such as ‘Come Fly with Me’, ‘Summertime’, ‘Stardust’, ‘Mack the Knife’, and ‘My way’ were written by famous songwriters such as Cole Porter, Hoagy Carmichael, Leiber & Stoller, and George & Ira Gershwin who wrote for Broadway Musicals and the popular artists of the time.
The 1950s saw the continued success of the phonograph record. This was thanks to technological advancements in recording and sound reproduction; the growth of national radio broadcasting, Broadway musicals, and the Hollywood film industry; the popularity of jukeboxes as well as the increased economic conditions after the great depression and World War II. The 1950s saw the record business boom with success from global superstar artists such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Tony Bennett, Peggy Lee, Bobby Darrin, and Andy Williams. It also saw the post-war growth of the youth market with the birth of Rock n Roll and exciting new artists such as Chuck Berry, Little Richard, and Elvis Presley.
A&R was most evident during this period which saw the number of artist signings increase significantly to the major record labels. It was the decade that ushered in the 45” EP, the popular format for releasing singles, and the 12” vinyl record which was soon to become the significant format and game changer to the traditional business model. Originally best suited to classical music’s longer pieces, the 12” became an art form in itself with concept albums such as Frank Sinatra’s ‘The voice of Frank Sinatra’.
Although during the 1950s the 45” format was the biggest selling format, it soon became apparent that there was more profitability in selling the more expensive LP format and so record companies started using singles as promotional tools to sell albums. They also started making hit songs only available to buy on LPs to increase profits.
Singles have always been treated as a non-profit making promotional tool (i.e. a loss leader) but their purpose was to market and drive album sales. Of course, if you sell millions of singles and can license the song to compilation albums and synchronize it to a movie or television program then there is a very healthy income stream. However, the traditional business model and main income stream were in selling albums. Today with the fast-changing market conditions and the move to online digital download and streaming services the model is changing, although albums still account for half of the recording industry’s revenue streams.
By the mid-1950s and the explosion of rock n’ roll to the youth market, artists started writing their songs. Artists such as Chuck Berry, The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Kinks, and Rolling Stones wanted to express the feelings of their generation and started writing their songs for creative and financial reasons.
with the advances in recording technology and technical complexities of the recording process the role of record producer developed and adapted as artists sought more sophisticated arrangements, experimentation, and artistic expression in their music.
During this period it was often the case that A&R managers were also recorded producers, composers, and arrangers for the artist such as in the case of Lieber and Stoller for Elvis Presley and George Martin for The Beatles and either worked or were hired by Record labels to work with their artists on composing, arranging, recording and producing their music.
Throughout the 1960s A&R executives became more focused on signing artists that could write their songs, rather than seeking songs for their performers. Those artists that didn’t write their songs started to form long-standing relationships with songwriters such as Elvis Presley with Leiber & Stoller, Elton John with David Taupin, and still happens today with collaborations between Robbie Williams with Guy Chambers or Adele with Paul Epworth.
This era was the domain of only 5 major labels that started acquiring other labels in buy-outs and mergers. It was a Singles driven market and the 12” was the new disruptive technology of the time.
Are sounds familiar doesn’t it? These days most people download singles, cherry-picking their favorite tunes rather than buying full albums. The business consisted of 5 major labels in the early 2000s but with the de-merger of Sony/BMG and the recent acquisition of EMI by Universal Music Group, the market is left with only 3 major record companies. Napster and iTunes are the recent disruptive technology. And all of this happened 50 years after the launch of the 12” record.
From its early days under Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson to its maturation as an industry segment in the 1990s, A&R has seen it all. It’s gone from a job title to an entire department of execs and artisanal record-makers. From its 1960s dominance to its struggles in the ’90s, A&R may never be quite what it once was (or in some cases, was again), but it has always influenced popular music.
A&R Terminology – A&R stands for Artist & Repertoire. This is the department in a record company that is responsible for scouting upcoming talent, signing new artists, and overseeing their creative development. (To read more about the history of A&R see Wikipedia – A&R)
A&R terminology is a working knowledge that will help you and your colleagues stay on the same page when referencing an artist and his or her work. It is also useful if you wish to enlist the help of professional music execs. Knowing A&R terminology will also help you understand how artists (and their record labels) are evaluated.
A&R stands for Artist & Repertoire, it refers to the person who searches out new music talent. The Scout is at the frontline of their label’s A&R team and they are responsible for discovering new talent
Where the artist, the A&R representative, and key record label staff (and any invited special guests) listen to the finished record together for the first time – can be quite nerve-racking for the artist and A&R person.
The artist will be listening out for any negative comments from their new team; the A&R person will be looking out for signs that their role has been usurped by someone else. The whole team will be hoping that the record is good enough to get signed on the spot, but in reality, this rarely happens.
Playbacks should take place as soon as possible after the completion of production so that there’s still time to make changes if necessary, but not so early that everyone gets bored of hearing it over and over again. The ideal situation is when everyone can all sit down together in one room at one time and listen without interruption, but this isn’t always possible.
If you’re doing a playback over email or phone, then it’s best to send out one track at a time so that people can respond to each one individually before sending on to the next one (there’s nothing worse than hearing two tracks back-to-back which doesn’t work). Make sure there’s enough space between tracks so that
The monitor mix is the version of a record that leaves the recording studio before it has been professionally mixed.
A rough reference copy from the recording studio to send to the artist, A&R dept, and mix engineer before the mix session.
The monitor mix is usually made with a limited set of speakers or headphones, so it sounds as close as possible to what you’ll hear on other systems.
The sleeve notes contain the songwriting and producer credits, the long list of thank you’s, lyrics, and the copyright information contained in the inlay sleeve of records.
Artists & Repertoire. The person or people who have control over an artist’s musical direction, including their selection of songs to record. Often these people also act as producers.
The visual elements that are used on an album cover or CD booklet include photographs, illustrations, typefaces, logos, etc…
An audio processor used for correcting out-of-tune vocals during recording sessions or live performances. Andy Hildebrand originally developed Auto-Tune from Antares Audio Technologies Inc. His original intention was to use it as a tool for singers with disabilities such as laryngitis or bad vocal habits (such as poor breath support) but it has now become a standard studio tool for many mainstream pop artists too!
A non-refundable amount of money is received by the artist and songwriter from record and publishing companies for the exclusive right to copy, sell, adapt, distribute, broadcast, and perform their music. It is paid upfront before recording commences and allows the artist to concentrate and focus their time and energy solely on their music. An advance is negotiated between the artist manager and the record company via music lawyers.
The person who manages an artist’s career on a day-to-day basis acts as an intermediary between the record label and the artist or band. Artists’ managers are responsible for all aspects of their clients’ careers including booking shows; booking studio time; negotiating recording contracts with labels; negotiating publishing deals with publishers; marketing; promoting tours etc.
A type of record deal where an artist receives a small amount of money upfront from a record company in exchange for ownership of their master recording (the finished album). This type of deal is most commonly used by developing artists who are not yet making any money from touring or merchandise sales (or have only just started doing so).
This is an agreed % of revenue an artist will receive from every record sold, e.g. a 20% artist royalty rate will mean that the artist will be paid 20% of the published dealer price (PPD) of each record sold. If an album’s dealer price is £8 per CD then the artist will receive £1.40 in royalty payments from the sale of that one CD after all costs have been recouped by the record label (see below).
These are expenses that are charged back to an artist on a per-unit basis, such as manufacturing, marketing, and distribution costs. The recoupable period for physical products is usually between six months and one year after the release date, depending on the type of product being released. For digital releases, there is no recoupable period, as all costs are borne by the label and then recovered out of royalties earned every month following the release date.
This refers to units lost during manufacturing or handling processes due to breakage or damage. Breakage rates may vary depending on how sensitively fragile your product is but we recommend budgeting
The ‘drop-down’ section of a song comes directly after the second chorus. It features either an instrumental solo section or an alternative melody line to that of the verses and chorus. It is usually 8 bars long, hence why it is known in the UK as the Middle 8.
A section of music within a song that directly follows the Chorus and precedes the Refrain.
The main refrain of a song is repeated several times throughout the song.
Refrain (or Chorus): The main refrain of a song that is repeated several times throughout the song.
The first part of each verse typically sets up what will be said in the second part (the body) and often ends with an incomplete thought or idea (incomplete rhyme scheme).
A solo played over an instrumental backing track without any vocals present; this can be during or after a bridge or middle 8 sections of a song, or at any other point in time within an arrangement where you feel it would suit your purpose best! Instrumental solos are usually between 4-16 bars long but can be extended beyond this if required.
A&R (Artist & Repertoire) is the department in a record label that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the careers of recording artists.
The music industry is full of professionals with different roles and responsibilities. If you’ve been on the road, playing gigs, releasing albums, or even just listening to music, then you’ve probably run into some of these folks:
A&R stands for Artists and Repertoire. A&R is the department of a record label that searches for new talent and signs artists to contracts. A&R people work with artists to develop their sound, style, and image. They also help artists decide which songs will be on their albums and what those songs should sound like; this process is called “song selection” or “songwriting” (as in “I wrote this song with my band).
There are many different kinds of managers, and each fulfills a specific role in your career. First, let’s be clear: a manager is not an accountant or lawyer; he or she does not do taxes for you or help you write a will. A manager is also not typically the publicist who runs around town trying to find press opportunities for you (though some do). A manager doesn’t book shows for your band or act as an agent at booking agencies (though some do). Finally, while some managers have experience publishing music and can help guide writers through that process, they won’t handle any of the paperwork associated with getting your book out there into the world.
In short, managers are businesspeople who specialize in working with artists like yourself, not accountants or lawyers and their job is to ensure that all aspects of your career run smoothly so that you can focus on what matters: making great art!
A marketing firm is a company that provides services to help artists market themselves effectively. The main difference between a marketing firm and other types of service providers like managers, publicists, or booking agents is that they are not involved in the creative process. They can be involved in the creative process, but it’s not their focus. Their focus is on marketing and promotion for artists who already have something created for them (a song or album). They’re usually hired by the artist rather than the other way around, this means if you’re looking for someone to help you grow your career as an artist, start thinking about how to promote yourself rather than planning on finding someone else who will do it for you!
A booking agent is a third party who helps artists find gigs, often with venues that are willing to pay the artist a fee to perform. Booking agents work on behalf of their clients and are responsible for providing those clients with an income by connecting them with opportunities where they can make money through performance.
Booking agents work closely with venue owners and promoters interested in working with artists. They negotiate terms of payment (how much the venue will pay) and other details regarding the performance (time slots, equipment needs, etc.). If you’re an artist trying to get booked at local bars or coffee shops around town, your booking agent will be responsible for organizing those gigs for you!
A publicist is a person who helps you manage your public image, which includes handling your press coverage and social media presence. They can also help you with things like scheduling interviews, writing press releases, and connecting with other influencers in your industry.
A publisher, who has presumably acquired your book after you’ve submitted it to them, will pay you an advance. Advances are usually paid in two installments: half upon signing the contract and half upon completion of edits or delivery of the manuscript. The amount of advances varies widely by genre and popularity, but it’s common for first-time authors to receive $10-20K as an advance on their book (this amount can increase with subsequent contracts). The royalty rate is how much money the author receives per unit sold after deducting the cost of printing and other expenses associated with publishing. This rate varies widely between publishers some offer royalties as high as 15% while others offer less than 5%. Royalties are paid once a year in January based on sales during the previous calendar year; if you sell more copies during that period than expected, then your royalty check will be larger too!
As you can see, there is a lot to consider when choosing the right partner for your project. The most important thing to remember is that it’s OK if this process takes time and effort. You need to be sure that the person you choose will help you grow as an artist as well as take care of business in all areas of your career.
When you find someone who fits with your style and vision, they’ll make all the difference in taking your career to new heights!
The music industry is complicated, and it can be difficult to know where to start when you’re trying to break into it. We hope that this blog post has given you a clearer understanding of how these different jobs work together in today’s world of music. If any questions are left unanswered, please feel free to contact us at our website or give us a call so we can help answer them!
The music industry is a cutthroat business. If you’re not on top of your game, you’ll find yourself behind the curve. So what skills do you need to be successful as an A&R? In this post, we’ll look at some of the most important qualities, plus how they relate to your career in music:
Analytical skills are the ability to solve problems and make decisions based on information. These skills can be developed over time through experience and training. Analytical skills can also be used in a variety of situations, such as in business, government, and education. Analytical skills are important because they allow people to make decisions based on facts rather than emotions. They can also help people learn new things by breaking down complex concepts into manageable parts.
You should be able to understand the business and its dynamics, negotiate with artists and their managers, negotiate with music publishers, negotiate with music producers (if you’re at a label), and so on. This is where most people’s minds go blank when considering A&R jobs—they don’t know what it means to be a good negotiator or how to actually do it. For example: how do you negotiate with an artist? Do you tell them what they should get paid? Or maybe let them dictate terms based on market value? The answer is somewhere in between those two extremes. In general, there are three types of negotiation tactics that can help:
The best negotiators use all three of these tactics, but generally focus on soft power in the beginning, hard power for difficult situations, and win-win scenarios to close out deals.
If you’re an A&R person, you’ll need to talk to a lot of people. You’ll be talking about things like how certain songs feel, what your vision is for the album, and how much money the band needs to make it through the recording process (it’s more than they think). The ability to communicate effectively with others is crucial for any job in music but it’s especially important for A&R. When someone tells you that you should sign a band because their new single is “a little bit punk,” you should be able to understand what that means. You also need to be able to convey your own thoughts and ideas clearly so others can act on them appropriately and so everyone knows what’s going on at all times!
So, you want to be an A&R person. Great! You’re about to embark on a journey of excitement and discovery. But before you begin your journey, there are some things you should know:
When people talk about being an A&R person, they’re referring to the job of identifying and developing new talent for a record company. An A&R professional will listen to the music submitted by artists or their managers, then decide whether or not it’s good enough to be released through their label. They’ll also sign producers in order to produce tracks for these acts. In short, they’re responsible for finding the next big thing in music whether that’s an artist who can sing well and write songs or someone who has an amazing studio setup with killer beats (like Max Martin).
But that’s not all: A&R professionals also need to be able to run a business, because they have to make sure their acts are being paid properly and that they’re making enough money for everyone involved. This means having an understanding of contracts, royalties, and licensing and knowing how to use them effectively in order to get what you want.
Let’s face it: you’re not going to be doing much listening if you can’t hear anything. This is where your hearing comes in, and we mean both the literal sense of hearing and the figurative sense as well. So, having good ears is important for an A&R person but so are good eyes.
You’ll need to make quick decisions based on what you see and hear and those decisions must always lead to success. It’s not just about making a record; it’s also about signing talent (or deciding against signing them) so that your label can continue operating smoothly and profitably.
The best A&Rs are able to multitask and switch between projects quickly and efficiently. They know how to stay focused on the task at hand, so they don’t get distracted by emails or calls from other people in their office. They also have a good sense of time management, so they can prioritize tasks effectively. This comes in handy when you’re dealing with multiple artists who all want your attention at the same time which is one reason why being an A&R is such a tough job!
Networking is a skill that can be learned. And it’s a skill that is incredibly important to the A&R job. You need to have the ability to network with people, because depending on your role at the label, you may be in charge of finding new artists or employees for your company.
There are many different ways networking can help you in your day-to-day work as an A&R rep:
Organizational skills are a huge part of being an A&R person. If you don’t understand the importance of organization, then you can’t be successful as an A&R person. The organization is about time management and prioritizing tasks; it’s also about setting goals, which is just as important as prioritizing tasks because without goals, how will you know where to start? And finally, the organization is about being efficient in your work so that when someone comes to ask you what happened to that project they gave you three weeks ago which they haven’t seen yet you don’t have to say “I forgot.”
People management and negotiating skills are a must for every A&R rep. You’re not just in charge of signing new artists you also have to work with them, helping them grow as artists and working together to figure out what songs will be on their albums. And that means working with lots of different personalities without losing your cool or getting frustrated. You may also have to negotiate with labels and other A&R reps about who gets the best songs from an artist, who gets the first chance at signing them, etc., so you need to be able to handle these situations calmly and professionally while still getting what you want out of it.
The bottom line: being an A&R rep is all about people management, whether it comes down to making sure everyone on your team has everything they need (or want) or negotiating with artists over contracts and song choices.
You need good business and analytical skills for A&R in Nigeria.
The A&R (Artist and Repertoire) role is one of the most complex in the music industry. The responsibilities of an A&R include signing new artists, managing existing ones, advising on creative direction, and ensuring that albums are properly marketed and promoted. It might seem like a glamorous job but it’s quite challenging. And while there are no rules to follow when it comes to choosing an A&R, there are certain qualities you should look out for before deciding who gets this important position in your company or business:
A good ear is essential to the role of an A&R. The ability to hear the potential in a song, or an artist can be a valuable asset for any label manager. It’s important to note that this attribute is not necessarily innate; it can be developed and honed by training your hearing through careful listening.
Listening carefully and critically is the best way to develop a good ear. This means paying attention not only to the sound of the music but also to its structure and how it’s put together. Most importantly, A&R reps should pay attention to what they like about a song or an artist; there has to be something that makes them stand out above all others.
A&R should understand the local music industry and how it operates. They should know how to work with artists and producers, record labels, radio stations, online music platforms, and concert promoters. They should be able to help artists with their music videos, album artwork, and other promotional materials. They should be able to help musicians connect with local venues and festivals, as well as national tours.
Marketing skills are crucial for any music industry professional. A&R staff must know how to promote music, artists, and record labels. They should also be able to market records themselves and assist in marketing the artist’s videos and albums. An A&R must be aware of the latest trends in music. They should also have a broad knowledge of the industry and know how to spot talent.
Social media marketing and digital marketing are two skills that are essential for any label in 2018. A&R reps should be able to help their artists with everything from creating engaging content to promoting it through the proper channels. They should also know how to engage fans by listening, interacting, and responding in real-time; they need to be able to understand what motivates them as consumers so they can better sell your music.
In addition, an A&R rep should have a basic understanding of e-mail marketing and purchasing influencers (people with large followings), ads on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, etc., to reach more people than ever before at lower costs per exposure point (CPE).
Artistic taste is the ability to judge the quality of a song or artist. It also means being able to make decisions on what will be a hit and what won’t, as well as helping an artist grow and improve.
In addition, an A&R person has to tell when an artist is ready for the next level.
A&R is a highly competitive industry, and the best A&R people are the ones who can judge an artist’s potential. They also have to communicate effectively with artists, managers, and producers.
Our team of A&R experts is the best in the Nigerian music industry today. Our knowledge of the trends, our ability to identify unique talent, and our commitment to ensuring each artist has a successful career are just some of the reasons why we are considered one of Africa’s top A&R companies.
Our reputation as a leading creative force in Nigeria is built on decades worth of experience and an incredible track record for success with big names including Cynthia Morgan, G-worldwide Ent ( kiss Daniel) Shaydee, Chinko Ekun, and many more household names across the continent under the parent company “Gidioti Empire”.
If you’re considering becoming an A&R manager, but aren’t sure where to start, this guide will help! In it, you’ll learn about how much an A&R gets paid and what kind of salary can be expected. We’ll also look at some common entry-level salaries and the various career paths available for A&Rs in the music industry.
The amount of money you can earn as an A&R depends on many factors, namely the budget of your label and whether or not you’re full-time. If you are working at a major label, your salary will likely be higher than if you were working for an indie label or something similar. This is because majors have more money to play with and can therefore offer higher salaries. However, this isn’t always true—some indies may have more of a budget than some major labels do (and vice versa), so it just depends on where exactly in the music industry spectrum you find yourself working.
Salaries also vary wildly depending on what part of the world (USA vs Europe vs South America) someone’s in and what kind of experience they bring to the table: entry-level employees tend to earn less than experienced ones; employees within certain departments typically earn more than others (i.e., marketing/promotion department earns less than A&R department).
A&R representatives in Nigeria do not get a fixed salary, but they do receive a commission on sales. This means that they earn money based on the amount of money an artist makes.
A&R in Nigeria are paid on a percentage basis IF THEY ARE PAID AT ALL and can earn as much as N1 million per month if their acts are successful. If a record label is doing well and has a lot of money to spend, they will usually pay their A&R representatives very well. However, if the label is struggling financially, then the A&R representative’s salary will be lower.
While entry-level A&R positions are hard to come by, more experienced A&R managers can make upwards of $80,000 per year. While the average salary for an entry-level position tends to be around $40,000 per year (in the U.S.), experienced A&R managers can earn upwards of $80,000 per year or more.
The budgets of A&R departments vary greatly from label to label. At the top of the list lies Sony Music Entertainment, which distributed around $15 billion in 2015. In contrast, a startup indie label might have a budget of only $20,000.
But it’s not just about size: major labels tend to be more artist-focused, while indie labels are often more innovative and experimental. Regardless of their budgets or focus on artists, however, all record labels employ A&R representatives whose job is to discover new talent and help develop it into successful artists for their companies—and there’s no one better suited for this than you!
If you’d like to become an A&R recruiter, there are two good options. The first is to get a job at a major label. Entry-level salaries average around $40,000 per year – although sometimes they’ll just refer to A&R recruiters as “sales interns”.
As for the second option? That would be joining an independent label! However, if this is your preferred route, then you must understand that there are some limitations on what kind of artists and bands these companies can work with.
There are many alternatives to becoming an A&R manager at a record label. You could choose to become a talent scout for a music-related company like Samsung or Beats by Dre or even for modeling agencies! As long as you have experience with discovering artists and helping them succeed, you can find work in any number of fields related to music. It’s also worth mentioning that there are many opportunities out there if you’d rather work directly with artists instead of the people who manage them. You could try your hand at being their manager, tour manager, or stylist (this is particularly common in hip-hop circles). Alternatively, if you have a knack for producing new songs and beats then it’s possible to make money doing this kind of side hustle as well — especially if what you produce turns into viral hits!
As well as working in A&R, some people also choose to develop their careers as music managers, artist managers, or producers. These roles allow you to work directly with artists and have a more significant impact on their careers than an A&R manager would have.
Music manager: The role of a music manager is to oversee how an artist’s music is marketed and promoted. This involves working with record labels to ensure that the right songs are being released at the right time, and keeping track of how much money is being made from each song released by your client.
Artist Manager:
An artist manager handles day-to-day business decisions regarding an artist’s career including booking gigs, hiring tour crews, etc… They also handle day-to-day business decisions regarding an artist’s career including booking gigs, hiring tour crews, etc… They may also negotiate deals with concert promoters while consulting with lawyers as needed.
As an A&R, you’ll be responsible for finding new talent and new ideas. You’ll also be the first point of contact in the industry for many artists, as well as be able to make key decisions on whether or not they’re worth investing in. The best part? There are plenty of opportunities to get promoted within this field. In fact, according to information from 2018’s “Research Report Into The Employment Market for New Artists And Record Producers”, A&Rs make up between 20% and 30% of record labels’ total workforce which means there’s plenty of room for career growth within this field!
A&R salaries can vary significantly based on your location, experience, and other factors. However, we hope this article has given you some insight into what it takes to become an A&R manager as well as how much they make on average per year. If you’re interested in pursuing a career in this field, check out our article on How To Become An A&R Recruiter, or reach out if you need more information!
A&R (Artists & Repertoire) is an essential role in the music business. They are responsible for finding new talent and developing it and working with artists on their careers. A&Rs work with record labels, radio stations, clubs, and other music industry professionals to help them find new artists to sign or manage.
A&R stands for Artists and Repertoire. This is the division of a record label responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the recording process.
A&R stands for Artists and Repertoire. This is the division of a record label responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the recording process.
Artists and Repertoire, or A&R, is more than just searching for potential talent. The A&R department also helps to shape an artist’s sound before they even hit the studio by providing feedback on their music, helping them create an image that fits their brand, and guiding them through choosing singles or albums that will be released to the public.
An A&R representative is the liaison between the label and its artists. The representative will help guide artists when it comes to recording and producing, artwork, music videos, playlists, and tours.
While some labels have their in-house staff to fill this role, many others rely on independent consultants like yourself. You’re essentially a scout for new talent who has access to an industry-wide network of up-and-coming artists looking for representation or distribution deals with major labels as well as independent ones like your own.
A&R is an intriguing job, but it is also very fast-paced. A&R representatives are often the first point of contact for artists, and they work to help them become successful in the music industry. They are essentially the liaison between the label and its artists.
As you can see, A&R is a very interesting career opportunity. It’s a great way to get into the music industry and work with some of your favourite artists. If this sounds like something that interests you, then it might be worth looking into more!