Anyone involved with the live music industry has heard the term “A&R.” The letters mean - Artists and Repertoire, and represent that part of the recording business that scours the country looking for upcoming talent that is not yet signed with representation. The A&R Department is responsible for commercial development of artists. It also acts as a liaison between the artists and the record company

An A&R representative has the responsibilities of finding the new artists, managing the recording process and marketing and promoting the artists too. Even though many unsigned artists might think the job of an A&R rep is to keep new talent out of the industry, the job is really all about finding marketable music for the recording company. The A&R representatives listen to demos, set artists up with producers and provide basic promotional services.

The life of an A&R representative can seem very glamorous to those on the outside looking in, because the A&R rep is the person in charge of discovering the next “big thing.” Once an artist has signed with a label an exclusive contract has been created and the A&R rep will help in song selection, hire the production company and book studio time too Long considered the most glamorous part of the industry, scouting for new talent and hanging out in recording studios with superstars can also make A&R one of the most desirable jobs in the recording industry.