Musician

January 27, 2023
Music Business

History Of A&R: The Short Story

History Of A&R: The Short Story

History

History Of A&R: The Short Story

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ARA continued through World War II, but by 1947 it had been replaced by a new company called Artist Management Association (AMA).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

history

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.

The industry is often saying that music tastes and trends are cyclical. The same could be said for the music business – it seems that it reinvents itself every 50 years.

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.

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January 27, 2023
A&R

A&R TERMINOLOGY: 10 A&R TERMINOLOGY YOU SHOULDN’T JOKE WITH

A&R TERMINOLOGY

TERMINOLOGY

A&R TERMINOLOGY

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.

 

TERMINOLOGY

Scout

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

Playback

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

 

 

Monitor Mix

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.

 

Label copy

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.

A&R

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.

Artwork

The visual elements that are used on an album cover or CD booklet include photographs, illustrations, typefaces, logos, etc…

Auto-Tune

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!

Advance

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.

Artists’ manager

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.

Artist development deal

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).

Royalty Rate

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).

Recoupable Expenses

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.

 

Breakage

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

Bridge or Middle 8

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.

Bridge/Middle 8:

A section of music within a song that directly follows the Chorus and precedes the Refrain.

Chorus:

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.

 

Verse:

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).

 

Instrumental Solo Section

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.

 

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January 27, 2023
Music Business

12 Strategies To Promote Your Music Online

12 Strategies To Promote Your Music Online

strategies

Strategies To Promote Your Music Online IN 2022

Introduction

The music industry has become more and more competitive over the past few years. With the rise of streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music, there’s a whole new way for artists to get their music heard by fans. This means that you need to be proactive about promoting your music online. Here are some simple ways to get your songs noticed.

 

Ideas to Promote Your Music

You can promote your music online by taking advantage of social media and radio, but you also need to think about offline opportunities. Promotional strategies for music include social media marketing, radio marketing, and online marketing.

Marketing companies that specialize in music promotion offer an array of services to help artists get their sound out into the world. These companies can make it easier for you to reach new audiences and gain exposure by helping you find new fans through a variety of means—including social media sites like Twitter and Instagram as well as traditional outlets like print magazines or radio stations.

When choosing a promotional strategy for your band’s next album release or another upcoming project (like an EP), consider your options carefully before making any decisions about where your band will focus its efforts. What kind of audience do they want? How much money are they willing to spend? What kinds of opportunities exist within each category? What kind will benefit them most at this stage in their careers?

 

A&R IN NIGERIA

In the music industry, especially in Africa and Nigeria, A&R stands for Artist & Repertoire. An A&R is a person who manages the recording contract of an artist and ensures that all aspects of their career are handled professionally. This includes securing studio time, booking shows and making sure that your brand is promoted effectively. A&R Companies in Nigeria play a vital role in helping artists record their music professionally and get it distributed to top radio stations across the country. They also develop strategies to help you reach new audiences while growing your fan base by sharing your content on social media channels like YouTube, Instagram etcetera…

 

HiRE A&R IN NIGERIA

A&R DUTY is an independent A&R company with a passion for music. We are creating a community for A&Rs to come together under one umbrella, training and educating them on how to trade in their business space without being ripped off, and also creating an avenue for a record label and independent artist to hire professional A&Rs when the need arises, to increase the population of the artist making hit records in Africa.

 

A&R Duty also assists new artists in finding their footing in the industry by offering them professional management services and guidance through their careers. You can hire HiRE A&R for your upcoming album release or single launch!

 

If you want to make your music popular, there are a few things that you can do. First of all, you need to make sure your fans are aware of your music. The Internet is the best way to do it. This can be done by creating an online presence for yourself and putting up links for people who may not know about you yet. You can also use social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to promote yourself with ads on these platforms or create a blog where people can find out more about what you have done so far in terms of promoting your music online in 2022

 

1. Revisit the goals you set for yourself in the beginning.

When it comes to promoting your music online, one of the best things you can do is revisit the goals that you set for yourself at the beginning. When you are clear about what these goals are, it becomes easier for you to track your progress and see if anything is holding back your success. Once you have decided on a goal and have started working towards achieving it, make sure that:

    • You have made progress every day (even if it’s just 5% or 10%)
    • You have kept up with this process long enough that there is no way someone could call into question whether or not these results were “random”

 

2. Build your brand online.

    • Build your website.
    • Create a logo.
    • Build your brand with social media and email marketing.

 

3. Create a professional website with a domain name related to your music.

Your website can be a separate entity. It doesn’t need to be part of your social media sites or any other online platform; it should be an independent site that hosts all of your music and information about you, your work, and how people can get in touch with you. Not only will this help you build up an audience and increase visibility for yourself as an artist, but it will also make it easier for potential fans to find out more about you and the work that you do.

The first thing that people will notice when they visit your site is its design – so make sure that it looks professional! You don’t have to hire a web designer if this isn’t in the budget – there are plenty of free tools available which give easy access to creative templates. However, always remember: just because these templates may look good now doesn’t mean they won’t look dated later on down the line…

 

4. Set up your YouTube channel and use it consistently.

You’ve probably heard about the benefits of using YouTube to promote your music, but did you know that it’s also one of the world’s largest search engines? The platform has over 1 billion users, which means that if you create content and share it on YouTube you can attract a huge audience.

YouTube is an excellent way for musicians to get their music heard by a wide audience. The platform allows artists to build their brand by creating quality videos about themselves and their work, as well as providing valuable information about how artists can use the platform effectively.

 

5. Be careful with email marketing, as people can be sensitive about their inboxes

    • Be careful with email marketing, as people can be sensitive about their inboxes.
    • Don’t send out emails to people who haven’t signed up for them. This is considered spam, and you don’t want your music to be associated with that kind of feeling.
    • Don’t be too pushy with your music promotions. If someone doesn’t want it, then they won’t open it or listen to it anyway!
    • Don’t send the same email over and over again—it gets annoying quickly! Use one promo code at a time so each new person who views your page will feel like they’re getting something special from you instead of just another advertisement for your music that won’t interest them in any way (or even worse: make them angry).
    • Don’t send emails that are too long; remember how much time most people spend on social media sites every day? Try not to go over 500 words in length if possible; anything longer than that will probably just get deleted without being read by anyone else either way so why bother sending something so lengthy? It defeats the purpose!

 

6. Get on social media and expand your reach through various platforms.

If you are an independent artist and want to expand your reach, social media is a great way to do that. You can use social media to interact with fans and get feedback on new songs or music videos, promote events and shows you’re going to be at or working at, or just run contests for free stuff (t-shirts, posters, etc.). With the rise of Instagram live streams becoming popularized by celebrities like Diddy and Kanye West any artist needs to be able to show off their talents. This is not only good for promotion but also for gaining new fans as well as keeping current ones interested in what you have going on.

 

7. Be careful with social media algorithms, as they are constantly changing.

Social media algorithms are constantly changing, so it’s important to keep an eye on the latest trends.

Make sure that you know what works best for each platform and adapt your strategy accordingly.

 

8. Don’t forget to engage with your existing fans constantly

Don’t forget to engage with your existing fans constantly.

It’s important to produce and post content frequently on social media, but it’s even more important to engage with your fans in the comments section. This will help build a stronger relationship between you and them, which can lead to more shares and likes on each post. Additionally, this increases the likelihood that they’ll purchase tickets for shows or stream/purchase music from your site!

 

9. Use Facebook advertising but be strategic about it!

You can use Facebook ads to reach new fans, but don’t just blast your music on Facebook. You will likely annoy people and end up with a bad reputation.

Instead, target people who are already interested in your music genre and live near where you will be performing.

Facebook advertising is a great way to get more eyes on your page and build loyalty among your existing fan base if done correctly!

 

10. Use Reddit to reach more music fans who are looking for something new!

The Reddit community is a large and passionate group that loves new music. They’re constantly looking for the next best song, album, or artist to listen to! If you want your music to be promoted by thousands of genuinely interested in hearing it, then this is the place for you.

Reddit is also great for finding feedback on your songs! You can post links to specific songs or even entire albums on Reddit and ask questions about what works well and what could be improved upon. This is a great way of getting constructive criticism from people who want nothing more than to help out musicians like yourself!

Another benefit of using Reddit as part of your marketing strategy would be reaching new fans who may not have otherwise heard about your work before now. Since there are so many users looking for new music all the time, there’s no doubt someone will stumble across one of yours soon enough!

 

11. Create partnerships with other musicians in your area!

Collaborating with other musicians is one of the best ways to get your music heard.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re just starting or well-known; everyone can benefit from having a network of people who share similar interests.

The more connections you have, the greater your chances will be forgetting noticed by other artists and labels. Websites such as ReverbNation are great places to find like-minded individuals who may be able to help further your career.

 

12. Release Music More Frequently

Music marketing is about building momentum over time and creating exponential growth. If you are releasing music once a year, how are you supposed to create any noticeable momentum or build a fanbase for the long term? Planning your next single release is great. But what about the next few singles? Releasing one song without knowing when the next single is going to be released means you are starting from scratch after every music release. This causes you to have popularity and focus spikes which constantly lower over time because you aren’t focused on consistent growth.n Quality of music and consistency come first.

look after your fans and provide value over and over again with consistent and frequent releases. remember you’re only ever ONE song away from greatness. One song can completely change your life. You never know JUST how close you are. Keep writing, releasing, and learning!

To grow online follow the tips above

ITogrow online and expand your reach, it’s best to stick with the strategies mentioned above. If you’re not sure how to use any of these tips, just ask us! We have experience helping musicians and artists promote themselves on social media, YouTube and other platforms.

Conclusion

So, if you are looking for a way to promote your music and get it noticed by the right people, then A&R Duty is the best option.

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January 27, 2023
A&R

What does an A&R scout do?

The A&R scout is a record label employee who is responsible for finding and signing new talent to the label. This can be a very exciting job, but it’s also hard work because you’re constantly searching for new music and sometimes the best stuff isn’t easy to find!

What is an A&R scout?

An A&R scout is someone who works with artists and their music, helping them create and promote their work. The first part of their title “Artist and Repertoire” is an old term for record labels but still has relevance today.

n

The job of the A&R scout is to find new talent, including singers, songwriters, producers, artists in other mediums, etc. An A&R scout might also help sign up existing bands or solo acts that already have a following among fans but need help getting off the ground with record labels.

The A&R scout’s job doesn’t end there! They’ll also be responsible for finding songs that could become hits on radio stations or at clubs across the country and they’ll get paid to do this because they’re so good at what they do!

 

How to become an A&R scout

To become an A&R scout, you should be musically talented and have a good ear for music. In addition, you must possess good communication skills and can work with others. An A&R scout will spend most of their time listening to music and talking about new artists or songs with other people in the industry. They will also need to know how different genres of music fit into the industry as a whole so that they can figure out which artists might be right for different types of projects.

 

An A&R scouts duties

A&R scouts are responsible for identifying, developing, and signing new artists. A&R stands for Artists and Repertoire, which means they work to find new talent and then create that artist so they can be signed to a record label. In addition to finding new talent, an A&R scout may also help manage the careers of established artists after they are signed by a record company. They often act as a sounding board for their artists, offering feedback on song ideas or helping them decide what direction their album should take in terms of sound or theme.

A&R scouts have many duties when it comes to promoting their acts:

    • Helping with songwriting sessions (for example)
    • Coordinating studio time with producers/engineers
    • Scheduling concerts & tours

 

The position of an A&R inspector

An A&R inspector is a person who inspects goods and services to ensure they meet certain standards. They may also be called quality controllers or inspectors. Their job is to make sure that the quality of products or services is accurate and consistent across all manufacturing plants, including food production and processing plants, pharmaceutical companies, clothing manufacturers, laboratories and more.

 

There are several qualifications you must hold to become an A&R inspector:

    • You must have strong analytical skills with excellent attention to detail
    • You should have good organizational skills as well as good communication skills with both customers and coworkers
    • A bachelor’s degree in engineering or business administration would be preferred but not required

 

Record Label A&R Scout Responsibilities

An A&R scout is responsible for finding new talent, both in the music and entertainment industry. They are also responsible for discovering new producers, writers, artists, managers, and labels who might have the potential to make it big in a certain genre of music.

A&R scouts are often responsible for scouting talent at live shows or watching them online. They will then submit demos or CDs of their work to the record label’s office where they will be reviewed by other members of staff before being passed onto legal teams who check that all rights are clear so there’s no copyright infringement taking place.

 

An A&R Executive Scout’s Responsibilities

The A&R executive is responsible for finding and developing new talent, as well as the music side of a label. These responsibilities include:

    • Signing new artists to the label
    • Developing the artists on their roster

 

The A&R scout’s duties are very similar to that of an independent music scout, but with one important difference: An independent scout can sign artists who are not signed to any labels at all. When you’re working with a major label like Mavin Records, there’s no need for anyone else’s approval you have complete control over everything related to your job title.

 

Mainstream Music A&R Scout Responsibilities

An A&R scout is responsible for finding new talent and signing them to a record label. They also help to develop the talent they find. An A&R scout works with artists to write and record songs, as well as promote their music.

Some of the responsibilities of an A&R scout include:

    • Meeting with prospective artists in person or over the phone to discuss their music
    • Reviewing demo recordings from potential recruits and listening for areas of improvement
    • Interviewing artists about their musical background, prior experiences, goals for their career, etc., and preparing this information in writing
    • Selecting which demos and performers are going to be sent on tour with established bands

 

The role of a label executive (A&R) in a record company

As an A&R executive, you are responsible for the following:

    • Signing and developing new talent
    • Marketing and promoting the label’s artists
    • Developing the label’s catalogue of songs

 

Hire good music talent for your new album, or mixtape project, or book your next show with A&R DUTY.

If you need to find the right music talent for your new album, or mixtape project with A&R DUTY. We have a large pool of talented music artists who can fit into any genre of music.

We take pride in being able to land our clients with top-notch artists/producers and video directors as well as making sure they get paid on time every time. Our track record speaks for itself; we have worked with some of Nigeria’s biggest artists including Cynthia Morgan, G-worldwide ent (Kizz Daniel), Shaydee, Dj Jimmy Jatt, and many more under the roaster of Gidioti Empire.

 

Conclusion

An A&R scout is a person who works for a record label or publishing company and finds new talent for the company. They look at the music and decide if it is good enough to be recorded on an album or mixtape. There are many different types of scouts out there, but they all have one thing in common: They want to find the next big thing!

 

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January 27, 2023
Music Business

How do I submit my music to labels?

When you’re trying to get your music heard by labels, there are plenty of things you can do to stand out from the crowd. You could try sending them a personalized email or even calling the label manager on the phone to introduce yourself. But how do you know what will work best? Well, there’s only one way: trial and error! The good news is that there are a few proven ways of making yourself stand out from the crowd and helping their job easier and they’re all fairly easy once you’ve got used to doing them regularly.

Many labels receive a high volume of submissions, so it may take them a while to respond.

Many labels receive a high volume of submissions, so it may take them a while to respond. It is important to remember that A&R teams are almost always very busy people who have many responsibilities. As such, they may not be able to respond immediately and may not respond at all if they do not think your music fits their label’s needs at the time you submit it.

If you know an A&R representative personally or have worked with them before, then try submitting your song directly via email rather than using our system…

 

You’re unlikely to hear back if you just email the label to the MP3.

In order to be considered, you will need to send them the link to your music. This can be done by email or through a service like SoundCloud, or Spotify. If you don’t include a link, they won’t know what you’re talking about and they won’t be able to listen to it!

 

Get your music on Spotify and iTunes.

You need to be on Spotify and iTunes. If you’re not on those platforms, then it’s unlikely for anyone to hear your music. There are exceptions, but they are extremely rare and require an extreme amount of luck or connections at the label level that most artists don’t have. You also need to have your music on other streaming services as well as stores like Amazon or CD Baby so people can buy it if they want physical copies (physical copies still sell). If someone wants to buy your album from iTunes or Amazon but can’t because your album isn’t there yet, you’ll lose out on more sales than just the ones who would’ve bought digital versions through those stores.

 

Don’t just message the label with a SoundCloud link and hope they listen.

When sending a music submission to a label, it’s important not to simply message the label with your SoundCloud link and hope they listen. You should have a dedicated page for your music, with links to all your social media accounts and all of your releases there as well. If you don’t have a website, you can use Bandcamp or another similar platform that has an embeddable player so people can listen directly from the page.

The best way to submit music is through a custom email address made just for the purpose of submitting tracks from unsigned artists. This email should include all relevant information about yourself (links to previous releases), links to streaming services where fans can listen (Spotify/Apple Music, etc.), and any other places where fans might hear it like YouTube/SoundCloud/etc., and any other relevant information like what genre(s) it falls into or any notable features on albums, etc., as well as anything else they might need in order fully understand what they’re listening too before making a decision on whether or not it’s right for them at this time.”

 

When you submit your music, make sure you have all the necessary copyright info in place.

While you’re submitting your music to labels, it’s important to make sure you have all the important copyright information in place. The first thing a label wants to know about your song is who wrote and recorded it, so make sure that’s clear. Make sure their name is included on every track and that it matches up with their website or social media profile.

Most importantly, make sure there’s no confusion about when you wrote your song or when it was released. Many artists include incorrect dates on their releases because they don’t know better or don’t care enough (or both). This can be confusing for both listeners and labels alike, so be sure not to leave off any crucial details like this one!

 

Have a dedicated page or website for your music, with links to your social media and all your music in one place.

You’ve got to have a dedicated page or website for your music, with links to your social media and all your music in one place. Make sure it’s easy to find and link directly back to any kind of social media you want (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook). Also, make sure this is the same URL that people can send out via email when they want other people to hear your track.

 

The better you can make yourself stand out from the crowd and help their job, the more likely they are to notice you.

The better you can make yourself stand out from the crowd and help their job, the more likely they are to notice you.

Here is a list of things that will help your chances:

    • Have a dedicated page or website for your music. This doesn’t have to be fancy (in fact, it’s better if it isn’t), but having everything in one place makes it much easier for labels to find and listen to your music. If people can’t find it easily, then not only does this increase the likelihood that they won’t listen to your music (which means you’ve wasted time) but also decreases its chance of being discovered by others who might want to sign you! A link should be included on all social media accounts too so that everyone involved knows where they can find everything related to their career at any given time without having multiple tabs open on their browser windows while trying not to miss anything important happening within those pages’ feeds.* Don’t just message labels with Soundcloud links; make sure all links point towards one page on your website or blog where everything lives together neatly organized under one roof.* Get some good recordings on Spotify and iTunes – It’s really hard for someone new off of Soundcloud alone because sound quality matters!

 

Conclusion

Remember, this is your music. You are the one who should be proud of it, not the label. So don’t just submit to a label because they have good feedback on SoundCloud or because they’re huge. Start by sending them only your best tracks and see what happens from there. Don’t forget that most labels want to work with artists who can promote themselves too; if you don’t have any social media profiles set up yet then get started on those today!

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January 27, 2023
Music Business

5 Possible way you can pitch a song to an artist?

How do you pitch a song to an artist?

It’s never been easier to get your music heard by a wide audience. Thousands of websites and apps can help you share your songs with other musicians, fans, and industry professionals. But the best way to connect with an artist is still through one-on-one communication. If you’re looking for tips on how to make that happen, read on!

pitch

How do you pitch a song to an artist?

Catch them live

The best way to get a song to an artist is by catching them live. They can be performing at a show, festival, gig, awards ceremony, event, or concert. Just be sure that you’re there when they are performing and make sure they notice your song. Here’s how:

    • Watch their show from the front row so that they can’t miss you
    • Put together an amazing performance of your song (make sure it has great lyrics and melody)
    • Make sure everyone in the crowd is singing along with your words because then it will look like everyone loves the music
    • Play loud enough for everyone in the audience to hear so no one misses out on hearing what wonderful songs you have written

Play your song for them at a studio

The first way to pitch a song to an artist is by playing it for them in a studio. While this is the best method, it’s not always possible because some artists work out of home studios or private studios that don’t allow outsiders to enter. If you’re lucky enough to get invited into the studio while working on new material, make sure you play your song only after they’ve had time to finish their current project.

If you can’t get into their recording space, try playing your music at another location where they usually hang out: bars/clubs (but not if they’re performing), hotels (but not if they’re staying there), parks, and other public places where people might be hanging out listening to live music.

 

Please send it to their A&R, manager, or producer

    • Please send it to their A&R, manager, or producer.
    • If you’ve got a song that you think is perfect for an artist and you want them to hear it, send it in the same way as if you were pitching it to a record label or publisher: private message on social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter, email, letter or text message (if the artist has previously given you their number). But don’t just send the song directly to their publicist or manager – they’ll likely pass it on anyway.
    • If a musician doesn’t have an A&R team yet but has already started building up some buzz through live shows/social media etc., then sending your track over might be better than trying to pitch it directly to them. It’s easy enough for anyone with an internet connection these days so there should be no excuse not to at least give this method of reaching out a shot!

 

Get in touch through the artist’s social media

If you have a song you think would be great for an artist, contact them through their social media. In the age of social media, it should be easy to find out how to get in touch with an artist through Instagram or Twitter. You can then send them a link to your song and see if they like it! Don’t be afraid most artists are happy when fans reach out with their music. Some artists even welcome submissions from aspiring producers looking for a chance at working together (I know I did).

Just remember that not everyone is going to respond in fact, most won’t respond at all! That’s okay though; just keep trying until you find someone who loves your music as much as you do!

 

Make sure your song is good

You’ve heard the saying, “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” That’s true in so many respects, but especially when it comes to getting your music recorded by an artist. You need to make sure your song is good and that you’re pitching the right song to the right artist.

For example, I recently wrote a song called “Haunting” which my friend Jayme King wanted to record on her upcoming album. I sent her a copy of the demo (the recording of my voice singing over acoustic guitar) and she liked it! She said she wanted to change some lyrics here and there as well as add some harmonies in certain places. When I asked if she wanted me there when she recorded it, her response was no because she didn’t want any distractions from me being on set; however, if any changes after recording needed input from me then I would be welcome back at Studio B Studios anytime!

Conclusion

If you want to pitch your song to an artist, you need to be creative. This can mean doing things like sending them a demo or playing it live at their shows. Don’t forget that social media is also a great way of getting in touch with the right people!

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January 27, 2023
Music Business

5 Essential Rules: How do songs get popular?

How do songs get popular?

If you’re a musician, producer, or just someone who likes to sing in the shower, then you’ve probably wondered: How do songs get popular? It turns out there’s no single answer. A song can become popular through a combination of factors that include its sound and structure, how it’s presented (via video or audio recording), its popularity among social media influencers, and more. But if you want to know what makes your favorite song tick and maybe even help yours become an international hit—here are some things that matter most.

songs

Well, first of all, there’s the music video.

First of all, there’s the music video.

A music video is a short film that features the artist and their song. It’s usually pretty cool to watch! But it also serves a very important purpose: getting a song popular.

The reason for this is simply a lot of people don’t buy albums anymore, so if you’re an up-and-coming artist who wants to reach your audience as efficiently as possible, you have to make sure that people have heard your songs before they even think about buying them. And how do they hear them? Well…through radio stations! But there are only so many times you can play one song on the radio before everyone gets sick of it. So what do you do? You release an album full of songs (and hope they get played), but more importantly…you release a music video filled with all those same tracks! As long as someone watches one video while they’re scrolling through YouTube or another type of media platform (probably Vevo), then chances are good that they’ll become interested in buying something from that artist’s catalog or at least listening more closely next time around.

This is why music videos are so important to artists they’re a way to connect with your audience, give them something entertaining and interesting to watch (and listen to), and help promote your new release. Whether it’s a simple performance video or something more elaborate with lots of special effects, there are numerous ways that artists have used their music videos as an effective tool for promoting their albums.

 

But that’s expensive, and clips on YouTube or Facebook make it easy to learn dance moves at home.

But that’s expensive, and clips on YouTube or Facebook make it easy to learn dance moves at home. You can hear the song, and see what the dancer is doing. It’s a good way to get a feel for the song before buying it.

 

Stars like Wizkid tend to keep their songs simple.

Wizkid, for example, is a Nigerian artist whose songs are known to be simple. He often just sings about love and relationships, but he does so in a way that makes it easy to sing along. His music has been described as “the kind of stuff you can dance to at home on your own or with friends.” And though there’s no denying that Whizkid’s songs are catchy (he averages over 50 million views per video), they’re also well-crafted; they’re not overly complicated in any way. They’re very much “the type of thing where kids can listen to them but also adults.

The same goes for other artists who have achieved success through more straightforward approaches: Drake has been known to avoid overly dense lyricism his raps tend toward being easygoing declarations of love or celebrations of friendship over struggling with mental illness. The point here is that sometimes getting people hooked on your work means making sure it feels accessible from the beginning, even if listeners don’t understand every lyric you’ve written or every reference you’ve made in each song, there’s still enough going on within each piece that keeps them engaged with the material itself and wanting more. That’s why it’s important to keep your audience in mind when writing lyrics; if you’re creating something that will be consumed by people who aren’t professional musicians themselves, then you need to make sure there are no barriers between them and enjoying the music.

If you have a song with lots of “Fs” that are hard to sing, start a little lower.

If you have a song with lots of “Fs” that are hard to sing, start a little lower. If it’s too high, people will sing the wrong words. If you start too low, people won’t be able to hear the words. Just worry about singing along and don’t worry about your range; just sing the song as you hear it.

If you have trouble singing along with some of the songs, try singing the chorus instead. Usually, a chorus is easy to match your voice to because it repeats over and over again. If you’re still having trouble, just ask someone else to sing along with you.

 

People love belting out pop songs in the shower, often when they’re feeling sad.

The simple answer to that question is that people love belting out pop songs in the shower, often when they’re feeling sad. It’s easy to understand why this happens: Showering tends to be a private experience where you can let down your guard and indulge yourself in whatever music you want. The soundproof walls of your bathroom allow for uninhibited singing that doesn’t need to compete with other sounds or worry about getting overheard by others and it’s also an excellent way to relieve stress, as one study found that 80% of people feel better after singing their favorite song in the shower (compared with playing sports).

But some artists are wary about underestimating their audience.

On the other hand, some artists are wary about underestimating their audience. “I’m always trying to avoid writing things that are too complex for a general audience,” says singer-songwriter Nan Goldin. “I don’t want people to have to think too much.” Others worry about overthinking: “You can make a song too complicated by thinking about it too much.”

Singer-songwriter Patti Smith does not write songs with standard lyrics like love or heartbreak because she believes that these concepts are overdone and cliche. Instead, she prefers themes such as nature and childlike joy, which she feels offer more depth than typical pop songs. Similarly, John Lennon once said he wanted his music to be both simple enough for children and deep enough for adults; he believed this was the key to popularity among all ages!

This is a common concern among songwriters. The most popular songs, such as “Essence” by Wizkid ft Tems or “Ye” by Burna Boy, are catchy enough to stick in your head and easy to sing along with but still convey deep themes.

Artists need to understand how listeners process a song.

One of the biggest challenges for musicians is understanding how listeners process a song. It’s important to realize that people don’t always know what they like and that they are likely to listen to a song many times before deciding whether they like it. It can be especially hard for artists who have only released one or two songs, because listeners may not have enough context to determine if something new is good or bad. Artists should also keep in mind that people process music differently some people might like the lyrics more than the beat, while others might focus more on how catchy a song sounds when they hear it on the radio.

On average, people listen to a song 30 or 40 times before they decide whether they like it.

In the early days of commercial radio, listeners had to wait for their favorite songs to come on. Nowadays, with streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, when you hear a song you like, you can just tap play again. The brain needs time to process music and it’s not just about hearing it once. Most people need around 30 or 40 exposures before they decide whether they like a song enough to add it to their playlist or share it on social media. The more times we hear something (even if we don’t consciously register this repetition), the more familiar we become with it, and familiarity increases liking because our brains prefer things that are familiar over those that are new and different.

The reason we tend to like things more when they’re familiar is because of a psychological phenomenon called the mere-exposure effect. In short, it means that the more times you see or hear something (even if you don’t consciously register this repetition), the more familiar

 

And sometimes, what listeners say they like isn’t the same thing they listen to.

Sometimes, what listeners say they like isn’t the same thing they listen to. In other words, the preferences of a listener can be a little bit different than his or her actual listening history. This is because humans are creatures of habit and like familiarity the more we hear something, the more comfortable it becomes with us over time. It’s one reason why so many people own multiple versions of the same album by an artist: because we don’t want to have to relearn any new information each time we play an album!

The result is that sometimes random things become popular because people discover them through friends or online communities where everyone agrees on their merits (or lack thereof). Or perhaps there’s just some sort of consensus about what makes a good song so much so that everyone goes along with it despite not liking it themselves

In either case, our listening habits are often more about what other people think is good than what we like ourselves.

The key to popularity is being catchy while also having deepness and complexity.

    • A catchy song will eventually get popular. If the song isn’t catchy, it can’t be popular.
    • A beat is necessary to attract people’s attention and make them want to dance.
    • The video for your song should be easy to understand and follow. You also need a good theme in your video so that people can relate to it easily and understand how important it is when they watch it again later on their own time without any help from someone else who might not fully comprehend why this particular piece of media deserves so much attention from its audience members (i.e., non-professionals).

The song has to be catchy and easy to remember. If people can’t sing along or repeat the lyrics, it’s unlikely that they will ever think of this song again even if they enjoyed it while they were listening to it at first. The beat needs to be strong and steady so that people can dance along with it whenever they hear the music playing in their head or on a radio station.

 

Conclusion

And there you have it. A lot of people think that being popular is about luck or talent, but the truth is that it’s more complicated than that. It takes a lot of work and careful consideration to make something that people want to listen to over and over again. But with these tips in mind, you can be sure that your song will reach listeners around the world!

 

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