The word A&R stands for artist and repertoire. Every record label has at least one A&R. Every successful record label hires a good one. If a label does not have one, the owner of the record label is usually the unofficial A&R.
This position has many responsibilities. The three biggest A&R responsibilities are the following:
A&R JOB DESCRIPTION NUMBER 1: FINDING TALENTED ARTISTS
It is an A&R’s job to find talent. Some A&Rs have the power to sign recording artists to their record labels without getting permission from their labels’ CEOs and other top executives.
A&Rs Get The Most Credit!
Many A&Rs get fired or promotions based on the recording artists that they sign to their record labels. When you are an A&R, you get the most credit for a successful recording artist. You rarely get the blame when a recording artist is unsuccessful.
Why Are You So Scared?
Many rappers and singers are not getting signed because many A&Rs do not have the ability to find talent. These A&Rs are more worried about job security then finding the right artists.
You are not worried about getting fired when you are a good at this position. Good A&Rs believe in the artists that they want to give record deals.
A&R JOB DESCRIPTION NUMBER 2: DEVELOPING ARTISTS
It is an A&R’s job to develop the artists that are signed to his or her record labels. An A&R will spend the most time with a recording artist when the artist is in a recording studio.
Talent Means Improvement
A&Rs must develop their talent pools. If an artist is not improving, the A&R is not doing his or her job. The artist must notice that he or she is getting better at his or her craft when the artist spends time with an A&R.
Such A Rare Talent
Most A&Rs do not have this ability. The A&Rs that do have this incredible talent eventually start their own successful record labels. Music executives finance these A&Rs because of their track record. They have proven that they can develop artists into superstars.
A&R JOB DESCRIPTION NUMBER 3: CREATING GREAT MUSIC
At the end of the day, it is all about the product. A&Rs spend a long amount of hours with recording artists in recording studios. The time spent making songs does not matter.
What Matters?
It only matters if the recording artist is creating great music. A&Rs should never work with artists that they do not believe in.
An A&R must be able to find good qualities in any recording artist and use this information to create hit records and quality albums on a consistent basis.