Who wrote this? "For the uninitiated" you could have at least included that A&R is an acronym for artists and repertoire. Geez.

Actually it stands for "Attitude and Rejection"

Sounds like someone's been rejected by A & R folks before.

All artists get rejected by A&R people, especially any 21+ adult with personal integrity and a sense of who they are as a person and artist.  Especially since the half-life of most A&R people is smaller than the amount of useful information in this article.  

In other words, if you have never been rejected by an A&R person then you spend alot of time on your knees or holding your ankles.  But to each his own... 

Funny retort above, but seriously, I'd argue that starting with the antiquated 'Artists & Repertoire' is not the best way to quickly define this profession.  The reason is that the modern-day definition of 'A&R' is quite different and more evolved than it was back in the days of matching the right singer with the right repertoire (no small task itself, and still part of the craft today).  

But if I have a one-sentence description, I'll skip the acronym for fear I'd mislead the person just encountering this area of the business.

/paul

Still pointless if the clowns up top are just looking for the next Bieber instead of the next Bruce.

Yep, So true.

I'm confused..

Is this a good thing.. or a bad thing? LOL

;-)

why would any label need A&R unless it was going to do Artist Development?

without that, it's a bunch of idiots following each other around signing the next katy Perry...where's the Michael Goldstones of the world now?

Goldie... he had some good stuff.

55 hired people is not a success story.

Depends on which 55 people were hired by whom to do what. 

If someone is going to sign Justin Beiber, put him in a Woodstock farmhouse with Jack White, Pino Palladino, Steve Winwood and Steve Jordan for three months, and send them on the road for three years then why would that not be a good thing for the business (you heard it here first). 

Why doesn't the collective "biz" encourage the kid towards something better rather than shitting on him all the time.  (yeah, I know why, but it doesn't make it right or, more importantly good)

Who's reading this and is un-inititated?????

how "SAD" to hear this,....I'm glad to hear 55 people have a Job,..but What about the "Spirit" of the Business  What does 55 People in temp. jobs say ?... Not much, I'd Rather Hear that the Lawyers are Starting to ALLOW the Company Excutives to Listen to some of the Great Talent on the Internet instead of Being Afraid they'll be in a Lawsuit if they "do" listen. .. Be Brave  "LISTEN" to the Talent !,....Give them a Chance ! (Even if they can't Afford an Attorney)...   Joseph Nicoletti Consuling-Promotion P.obox 386 Laguna Beach,California#92652 USA     ph 949-715-5382    musicbiz@cox.net

It seems to me that even with all the latest tools at the disposal of artists, some of them still need a hand. Those 55 people hired have a job only because there is a need...but today their job is so much easier...from anywhere they can access this net, they can begin filtering through the garbage...then they can go watch a performance...etc..

This just gives me a great feeling as a brand new indie label that even the dinosaurs recognize the talent still growing in the basements, bedrooms, and garages of the world.

As long as artists begin to get a bigger piece of the pie everything is good...these days they can be much more educated.

We are producing a movie that takes a look at the lives of indie artists that walk into the hybrid old world mixed with the new...funny thing is our A&R character and scene is part of the education of the main characters..

www.cultivatedthemovie.com