What's an "A&R Man"

[ian5277]

I’ve heard this term used in connection with the music industry (as well as a Tom Petty song). Anyone know what it means?

[Eats_Crayons]

A&R in a nutshell –

A&R is the abbreviation for “Artist and Repertoire”. A&R reps are the representatives of a record company whose duties include “discovering” new/unsigned artists. Essentially the A&R are the recruitment officers of the music business. Secondary duties also include developing artists (on a basic level) by choosing material for them according to the needs of the record company and the marketing schemes in place. (ie/ prescribing songs to be performed and recorded “boy bands” who do not write their own material.)

(Above is from the glossary at the site of indie label, Jabali Entertainment. Quoted with permission.)

[Nametag]

http://www.cd-vhs-duplication.com/resource/qa.html

First, the term A&R stands for “Artists and Repertoire”. It’s an old term dating back to the days when A&R people totally controlled not only who got recorded but, since almost no artists wrote their own material, what songs the artists recorded; their repertoire. In those days most A&R people produced the artists they signed. Some even had their own publishing companies even though they were on staff at a record company.

[Eats_Crayons]

Ah, back in the day… the A&R guys are still around, they just don’t have nearly the control or clout that they used to. Nowadays they tend to be young (just out of college), really stressed out and are sort of “contract pushers.” It’s no wonder that the A&R reps of yore used to run their own publishing companies – get someone like Elvis to sing a song whose rights you control and you can put your kids through college and retire!

It must’ve been sweet to work in the era when you’d “discover” someone and build them into a viable business. Back then the line between A&R, Manager and Producer was often quite blurred so you could do well off of royalties. Now the A&R guys seem to be much more controlled by the engine of the big record companies and have much less autonomy.

An example of the “classic” A&R rep would be Tom Hanks in the movie That Thing You Do.

[Eonwe]

“… his A&R man said ‘I don’t hear a single.’ The future was wide open…”

Love that song.

[Joey_P]

*Originally posted by Eonwe *
**"… his A&R man said ‘I don’t hear a single.’ The future was wide open…"

Love that song. **

December 9, St Paul, MN, will be my 4th Petty Show!!!