A&R Representatives (artist & repertoire)

Who should you work with? The choice is yours. Be smart, and don't settle for the first contract that comes flying your way - that mistake doesn't need to be made again! If your music is good, you will have time to shop around. Remember, what you need is a hit, and not a record contract.

The A&R of a record company is almost always the person who is most important to you. He is the one that presents you with a contract, and is responsible for the development of the act. He is the link between the creative side and the business side. He needs to know enough about both sides, how to make sure that your music is ready for the market, and that the market is ready for you.

The right A&R-person for you might seem difficult to determine. They don't usually appear with their name on the sleeve of their successes. How do you find out who is the genius behind launching a hit? Usually, you can't. If you contact a record company, they will either point you to what they call their A&R, who is often nothing but an apprentice opening the mail. If the successful A&R has left the record company, they will usually claim the credit themselves when what you should really be doing is looking for the person in question. It's vital that you find the talented one.

You need to know who has done what, particularly which A&R has what track record.

For instance, did you know that ....

N'Sync was originally A&R'd from BMG Munich in Germany?
Celine Dion was originally A&R'd from Sony Quebec in Canada?
Britney Spears is A&R'd from Zomba Amsterdam in Holland?
Ricky Martin was originally A&R from Sony Mexico?

Only two of these A&R stars are still working with their respective company. The others have gone to other companies. It is more than likely that they have been replaced by someone with fewer skills. If you identify your music with one of these artists, then you need to find the team that made them successful.

Mostly, these A&R are very difficult to reach, so you need to find a manager, publisher or a producer that is already connected to them. By looking at their track records, you will find out who has the connection and who has not, and that's why we're here. We will help you pinpoint the person who is most suitable to help you.

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