what is an a&r in music

A&R stands for "artists and repertoire," and it is the division of a record label or music publishing company that is responsible for scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists. The A&R representative is responsible for finding promising new artists for a record label or music publisher to sign. They are expected to understand the current tastes of the market and to be able to find artists that will be commercially successful. A&R representatives work unpredictable schedules, including seeing a lot of live music, listening to mountains of demos, spending time with artists, and attending to business in the office. They oversee the music style and recording process, including helping the artist to find the right record producer, scheduling time in a recording studio, and advising the artist on all aspects of making a high-quality recording. A&R reps are the musicians’ point of contact at the label during contract negotiations and will offer creative input and advice during production - often putting artists in touch with producers and other important parties. They are crucial to the music industry because they are in tune with whats actually going on in the local music scene and can spot a trend before its even happening.