what is a and r music

A&R stands for "Artists and Repertoire" and is a division of a record label or music publishing company that is responsible for scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists and songwriters. 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. The A&R division of a record label oversees the music style and recording process. This includes helping the artist to find the right record producer, scheduling time in a recording studio, and advising the artist on all aspects of making a high-quality recording. They work with the artist to choose the best songs (i.e., repertoire) to record. For artists who do not write their own music, the A&R person will assist in finding songs, songwriters, and arrangers. A&R representatives spend the majority of their time listening to music, scouring clubs, reading blogs, watching social media, and tracking industry buzz on the hunt for promising new musical artists. They are responsible for finding promising new artists for a record label or music publisher to sign.