It might sound like a glamorous job, hanging out at music clubs and visiting music venues nightly, but there’s a lot of pressure to find and sign successful talented acts and to help promote them. A&Rs need to deliver consistently, and it’s rare that anyone lasts for a long time in this job. Historically, some A&Rs seem to have had a special talent or sense in knowing intuitively what would make an act successful with fans.
Staying on top of the music trends requires constant attention to the unfolding of different fads, watching developments closely regarding musical styles, understanding the music marketing process, and having a “finger on the pulse” of the Music Industry. A&Rs scour local scenes and read fanzines and articles in the music press, visit colleges, local clubs, festivals, and local concerts to get an idea of which bands or artists are up-and-coming. It helps to have a good ear for music and be super-organized.
Once they’ve identified where the raw talent can be found, they must then have the ability to talk with them in terms both sides of a deal can understand, with the goal being to develop the music and artist image in a way that will appeal to more and more fans. It’s not enough to just find the Artists, they must also be able to present strategies for greater success, and structure a deal that all sides will be happy with.