What do A&R’s look for in new talent
When you think about the 5 M’s think also about the A&R’s carreer. A&R reps look for artists who have potential hit songs, a signature sound, a marketable image, long-term career potential (i.e., youthfulness and adaptability) and a great live show, & above all “buzz factor”. A&R reps prefer business-minded bands that first help themselves. Artists who press and sell their own recordings, perform live, build a strong fan base, design their own websites, establish a strong web presence and have a very clear vision of their goals are far more attractive to record company representatives than those who don’t. Musicians who know everything from what sort of image they want to how they want their album cover artwork and videos to appear make an A&R reps job that much easier. Below is a list of things the A&R Representatives are always looking for.
-If it seems like I am repeating myself, turns out this information below is probably the very important
-Is the music good?
-Is this music compatible & marketable to recent trends?
-Does this band possess talent?
-Does the band possess strong social media footprint.
-Does the band have 100K followers on Social Media?
-Does the band possess “Buzz Factor.”
-Does this band have a solid live draw & live presentation?
-Does this band have a good work ethic, drive and commitment?
-Age of band members (Preferably no one over 30?)
-Over 100,000 song (minimum) downloads
-Can I sell this music on a massive scale?
-Can I sell this band to my label
-Will this band “FLOP” me in the end?
A&R reps also look for artists who have a strong work ethic. Will the members of the band continue to work hard at creating their own opportunities once they get signed or will they rely entirely on their label to do everything? Will they have the endurance to tour relentlessly or will they burn out quickly? Do they have wives, kids, substantial bills, and other domestic responsibilities that may inhibit the pursuit of their goals? Simply put, record labels look for the path of least resistance to ensure that they’ll make a profit from their investments.
