What do A&R Managers do?

A&R was developed when it was rare for artists to write their own material. In those days A&R was concerned with matching artists with songwriters. Nowadays A&R is responsible for scouting new talent, signing it to a label and then overseeing all aspects of the process that leads up to the delivery of all finished recordings. A&R is also concerned with the development of artists as they grow and mature.

A&R Managers are creative people with good business skills and a solid understanding of the music marketplace. It is not enough to like the music, an A&R Manager needs an excellent knowledge of the contemporary music scene and to understand what sells.

The main job is picking acts that will be successful and then working with the act to find the right producers and writers. The process is very much a nurturing one to ensure the band or solo artist impacts at the right time with the right material.