# Their A&R man said, "I don't hear a single..." **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 1, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/their-a-r-man-said-i-dont-hear-a-single/495015 "2009-05-01T20:04:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Yodalicious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yodalicious/32/8195_2.png) [@Yodalicious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yodalicious)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/their-a-r-man-said-i-dont-hear-a-single/495015/1 "2009-05-01T20:04:29Z")
In the recording biz what is an A&R man and what does he do? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/their-a-r-man-said-i-dont-hear-a-single/495015/2 "2009-05-01T20:10:10Z")
> **[Artists and repertoire | Responsibilities](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A%26R#Responsibilities)** > > The A&R division of a record label is responsible for finding new recording artists and bringing those artists to the record company. A&R staff may go to hear emerging bands play at nightclubs and festivals to scout for talent. Personnel in the A&R division are expected to understand the current tastes of the market and to be able to find artists that will be commercially successful. For this reason, A&R people are often young and many are musicians, music journalists or record producers. > An A&R... ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/their-a-r-man-said-i-dont-hear-a-single/495015/3 "2009-05-01T20:12:59Z")
A&R stands for “Artist and repertoire”. A&R reps are basically the recruitment officers of the music business. They are the guy’s who “discover” new talent. They also take part in developing artists by choosing material for them according to the needs of the record company and the marketing schemes in place. So when you have a boy band that doesn’t write their own stuff, the A&R rep may have a hand in finding a tune that’s the right style and format to suit the band’s brand (so A&R is very strongly tied to marketingin that respect). ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/their-a-r-man-said-i-dont-hear-a-single/495015/4 "2009-05-01T20:23:01Z")
:mad: Dammit! I actually get to answer a question because I just _know_ it. I don’t work in that industry, I never needed to look it up, I just _knew_ the answer because it fell into my lap one day… and I got beaten to the bunch by a Wiki link and don’t gte to wear the fancy smart=person hat. :: crosses arms indignantly :: Pffffft! I do too haz knowledge! ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/their-a-r-man-said-i-dont-hear-a-single/495015/5 "2009-05-01T20:59:21Z")
Not just beaten by a Wiki link, Brainiac. Beaten by a Wiki link and two full minutes. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/their-a-r-man-said-i-dont-hear-a-single/495015/6 "2009-05-01T21:03:26Z")
**Cellphone** calm down. I’ve gotten good information from you many times. You are indeed in the battle for fighting ignorance!! ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/their-a-r-man-said-i-dont-hear-a-single/495015/7 "2009-05-01T21:08:06Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > Beaten by a Wiki link and two full minutes. 😉 I was _typing_ it takes TIME to type! :: shakes fist :: You cut-'n-paste Wiki-weenie, you! ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/their-a-r-man-said-i-dont-hear-a-single/495015/8 "2009-05-02T02:03:21Z")
Other terms for “A&R Man” I learned from the [Adventures of Mixerman](http://www.amazon.com/Daily-Adventures-Mixerman/dp/0879309458/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234208553&sr=8-1) are: Mook A Minion with a very strong Opinion I can’t recommend this book highly enough if you wish to experience sausage-making in all it’s glory. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/their-a-r-man-said-i-dont-hear-a-single/495015/9 "2009-05-02T02:48:38Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > A&R stands for “Artist and repertoire”. I dunno. Is there any combination of “a” and “r” words that basically mean, “venal, gate-keeping human cockroach?” ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/their-a-r-man-said-i-dont-hear-a-single/495015/10 "2009-05-02T02:55:57Z")
I get to add something that Wiki doesn’t have! Some A&R execs that became known to the public were Mitch Miller (aka “Sing Along With Mitch”) Herb Alpert and Phil Spector. Miller was A&R manager for Columbia Records, and signed and produced Tony Bennett, Percy Faith and Johnny Mathis, (and turned down Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly) among others. He figured out that there actually would be an market for a chorale singing stuff like “Yellow Rose of Texas” and eventually hosted his own TV show. Alpert, in addition to his own work with the Tijuana Brass, was the “A” in A&M records. He signed, among others, the Carpenters. Known better as a producer, Spector was A&R manager for Philles records when he heard a song written by Gene Pitney, “He’s a Rebel.” Spector quickly got Darlene Love (aka the Crystals) to record it before Liberty Records could release their version. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/their-a-r-man-said-i-dont-hear-a-single/495015/11 "2009-05-02T06:06:19Z")
> [@](#): > > I dunno. Is there any combination of “a” and “r” words that basically mean, “venal, gate-keeping human cockroach?” Anus and rectum? As in someone who’s twice the asshole the average person is. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6bbea6/32.png) [@The\_Seventh\_Deadly\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Seventh_Deadly_Finn)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2009, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/their-a-r-man-said-i-dont-hear-a-single/495015/12 "2009-05-02T06:34:32Z")
Though it stands for Artists & Repertoire, these days it’s mostly just artists. The A & R guy might sign you, but he’s also usually the guy who represents the label to you. His job is to deal with the artists. If you (as the artist) want to talk about something your label is doing, you talk to your A & R guy and hope that he’ll pass the info along to the higher-ups. If the label, say, wants to pressure you to change your sound, the A & R guy will be the guy to tell you. He usually pretends to be on your side, but often he’s not, which is why A & R people have such a bad reputation. Basically, he’s the face of the label to you, and the only guy at the label who returns your calls. Sometimes. Depending on how well your disc is selling. He is, as Tom Petty notes, likely to be the one to tell you that he doesn’t hear a marketable, radio-friendly song on your album. That’s accurate. I’ve had one major-label A & R guy in my career so far, and he was, in fact, a sleazy, two-faced cock.