God
Creator of the Universe
ill o.g.
Dear All:
I saw a few things posted about A&R and I thought I would contribute to Illmuzik today by giving everyone a few pointers on how A&R actually works, and what many of you may need to do to get seen or noticed by these people whom I don't especially like, but are key in their own way.
Here on, I will write "A&R" as "AR" because I hate reaching for the ampersand "&" all the time, so bear with me on that.
1. Introduction
To understand the position of AR you have to understand the position of these people in relation to the hierarchy of the corporate ladder within the record company they operate in.
The turnover in AR is especially high, many stay on the job for 2-4 years. This is because AR is not necessarily the best job in the company, and is lower on the totem pole next to a vice-president of a division, or higher in the food chain.
So, AR tend to want to sign 1 or 2 good acts, and then use the "success" of those acts as a position to bargain with when they want to get "out" of AR, and into a better corporate position inside the company, or work for another company. Don't get me wrong, AR want to sign good acts, but they don't want to sign many, because if their success/failure ratio is too big, then they will be viewed as "failures" necessarily, and not have a good bargaining chip to deal with head management to get a better position.
For example, if I risk signing 5 acts (which is kind of high for one AR man in a year) then I am risking about 10-15 million EU/$/whatever equivalent on those acts if I indeed pursue with them through all their stages of initial development. Also, if I add a promotional budget, the number will become even greater... you get what I mean.
Out of those five, none, or maybe one will bring a return. Let's say I sign one act, and it brings a return on its own cost (the money the record company put into it) plus a profit to the company. If that act brings in 10 million USD/EU, but my other acts flop, I, as an AR man, have to cover for my failures. If this one act doesn't cover for my other acts that I've signed, then I will be given the boot.
So, if the 10 million brought in by the act that made a profit for the record company doesn't cover 15 million in expenses incurred by my signing of the lesser acts, then I lose.
Do you see why AR is risky and people want to get out as quickly as possible into a more "secure" job ("secure" in music means a contract of up to 5 years guaranteed with your label, or a job considered to have more "security.") If I am in AR, I usually want to get out of AR. Pay usually is low, unless I am the head of AR, and I want to displace other people in the company, backstab, and move up.
2. So how do AR usually sign acts if what you said is true, God?
If I am AR, and I signed a great act, let's say I just signed an act that is a mover for the company... I will be wining and dining my bosses, trying to persuade them to move me up from my position of AR. I will actually spend more resources (time and money) trying... get this... NOT to sign another act, because it would mess up my track record. I wine and dine my bosses, or other label execs in order to use my success as a way to get up the food chain.
So, I am not actually spending money and time to find "another great act," the odds are low I will find another one, and that it will help my track record.
AR signs acts mostly through connections. These connections, if I am smart, are with well-established producers who own successful production companies that invest specifically in artists, and refine their acts, just to present to me a showcase.
That's why boy bands like N'Sync and the many knockoffs were "good" from an AR perspective. The costs in training these guys were through production companies (like Lou Pearlman's) that gave you an pre-packaged act good to go with low overhead invested by the record company, other than promotion itself.
That's why record companies now are consistently going to big producers, who essentially manage a company of lesser-known producers that ghost write for them, because these big producers package an act specifically for AR, and know what AR wants:
1. A refined act.
2. Low investment in training the act.
3. High probability of success.
3. GOD? HOW DO YOU KNOW IF AN ACT HAS A HIGH PROBABILITY OF SUCCESS? ARE YOU CRAZY?
Yes, I just said "high probability of success," and how do I know whether an act will do well... TESTING!
Yes! You do group tests with targeted demographics, where a subcontracted company puts 100 people in a room, of the demo you want to "hit" with your act, and then a quantitative analysis of the music is given where people check off how they "like" an act or not, and which would be a good "single."
A couple of tests by these companies will show if there is a statistical possibility that my act will do very well. And this is "scientific proof" I can show my boss to move an act.
NOT all AR men do what I just said, because an act, during development can be dropped, due to lack of funding, fall outs... or the tests don't come back good from these testing facilities I contract to do the testing work.
But, God, yo, why is it there are still acts that don't make money but are signed and promoted?
Either:
1. Dumb AR men
2. POLITICS!
Politics is usually it, I know most AR men can tell you what is shite and what isn't, but the fact is, if I have a hot producer, and I make money off his acts, I will take the loss of several of his acts, as long as his track record is up.
Look at it this way, and I'm really making it simple, AND THIS IS WRONG, I AM NOT TELLING ANYBODY TO DO IT, FIND A LAWYER IF YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING:
HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION:
Dr. Dre comes to me, and he wants to work with my company because he sold Aftermath Records and just wants to make music w/o the being involved in the record company part of it (THIS IS HYPOTHETICAL OK???)
So, I look at Dre's track record, he's stellar. But he has a bunch of shite rappers that he needs signed because he wants extra money for himself. I know he needs money (wants to buy a Ferrari, whatever) so I make a deal with him and do the signings of the wack rappers, knowing they will fail AS LONG AS HE ALSO GIVES ME HITS.
I will play this game with him, hits versus losses, as long as he keeps my record company paid.
But, what if Dre asks AR to sign an act, and AR gets something for signing the act?
KICKBACKS
It happens, it's illegal, don't do it. If you don't know what a kickback is, it's basically bribing a person to sign your act. Unfortunately, it happens, DO NOT DO THIS IN ANYWAY, HIRE A LAWYER TO CONSULT YOU IN ANY DECISION, I AM DISCLAIMING THIS.
Also, AR get "presents" which are not direct money, like cars. THAT IS WRONG TOO.
That's why you hear shite, and people lose money. Record biz is about favours rather than a full-on look at the bottom line (though now it's changing somewhat.)
God, what can I do, as a person on Illmuzik, to get AR to want me?
If you're an act: polished presentations, music videos, and a manager to work with who really knows what they're doing. If your manager is an asshole, but I like the act, I'll find a better manager to replace him/her with. Usually an act that gets signed has spent between 15000-40000 USD/EU on their presentation, press package, "presents" for AR (ILLEGAL< DON'T DO IT!), etc. That is why many bands or groups get funding from friends or relatives in a major way. It is not easy to get signed, and money helps separate others from the rest of the pack. That shows the amount of commitment an act has to its music, and hopefully, when signed, its label.
If you're a producer, it's a different story. It's about networking, who you know, it's a tough road. For example, as an AR rep, you get many 'freebies' from hopeful producers, or managers, like free dinners, and usually, even if the act or producer is horrible, you still string them along for the freebies. It's cruel yet reality.
That's all I can write for now. If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask.
Sincerely,
God
I saw a few things posted about A&R and I thought I would contribute to Illmuzik today by giving everyone a few pointers on how A&R actually works, and what many of you may need to do to get seen or noticed by these people whom I don't especially like, but are key in their own way.
Here on, I will write "A&R" as "AR" because I hate reaching for the ampersand "&" all the time, so bear with me on that.
1. Introduction
To understand the position of AR you have to understand the position of these people in relation to the hierarchy of the corporate ladder within the record company they operate in.
The turnover in AR is especially high, many stay on the job for 2-4 years. This is because AR is not necessarily the best job in the company, and is lower on the totem pole next to a vice-president of a division, or higher in the food chain.
So, AR tend to want to sign 1 or 2 good acts, and then use the "success" of those acts as a position to bargain with when they want to get "out" of AR, and into a better corporate position inside the company, or work for another company. Don't get me wrong, AR want to sign good acts, but they don't want to sign many, because if their success/failure ratio is too big, then they will be viewed as "failures" necessarily, and not have a good bargaining chip to deal with head management to get a better position.
For example, if I risk signing 5 acts (which is kind of high for one AR man in a year) then I am risking about 10-15 million EU/$/whatever equivalent on those acts if I indeed pursue with them through all their stages of initial development. Also, if I add a promotional budget, the number will become even greater... you get what I mean.
Out of those five, none, or maybe one will bring a return. Let's say I sign one act, and it brings a return on its own cost (the money the record company put into it) plus a profit to the company. If that act brings in 10 million USD/EU, but my other acts flop, I, as an AR man, have to cover for my failures. If this one act doesn't cover for my other acts that I've signed, then I will be given the boot.
So, if the 10 million brought in by the act that made a profit for the record company doesn't cover 15 million in expenses incurred by my signing of the lesser acts, then I lose.
Do you see why AR is risky and people want to get out as quickly as possible into a more "secure" job ("secure" in music means a contract of up to 5 years guaranteed with your label, or a job considered to have more "security.") If I am in AR, I usually want to get out of AR. Pay usually is low, unless I am the head of AR, and I want to displace other people in the company, backstab, and move up.
2. So how do AR usually sign acts if what you said is true, God?
If I am AR, and I signed a great act, let's say I just signed an act that is a mover for the company... I will be wining and dining my bosses, trying to persuade them to move me up from my position of AR. I will actually spend more resources (time and money) trying... get this... NOT to sign another act, because it would mess up my track record. I wine and dine my bosses, or other label execs in order to use my success as a way to get up the food chain.
So, I am not actually spending money and time to find "another great act," the odds are low I will find another one, and that it will help my track record.
AR signs acts mostly through connections. These connections, if I am smart, are with well-established producers who own successful production companies that invest specifically in artists, and refine their acts, just to present to me a showcase.
That's why boy bands like N'Sync and the many knockoffs were "good" from an AR perspective. The costs in training these guys were through production companies (like Lou Pearlman's) that gave you an pre-packaged act good to go with low overhead invested by the record company, other than promotion itself.
That's why record companies now are consistently going to big producers, who essentially manage a company of lesser-known producers that ghost write for them, because these big producers package an act specifically for AR, and know what AR wants:
1. A refined act.
2. Low investment in training the act.
3. High probability of success.
3. GOD? HOW DO YOU KNOW IF AN ACT HAS A HIGH PROBABILITY OF SUCCESS? ARE YOU CRAZY?
Yes, I just said "high probability of success," and how do I know whether an act will do well... TESTING!
Yes! You do group tests with targeted demographics, where a subcontracted company puts 100 people in a room, of the demo you want to "hit" with your act, and then a quantitative analysis of the music is given where people check off how they "like" an act or not, and which would be a good "single."
A couple of tests by these companies will show if there is a statistical possibility that my act will do very well. And this is "scientific proof" I can show my boss to move an act.
NOT all AR men do what I just said, because an act, during development can be dropped, due to lack of funding, fall outs... or the tests don't come back good from these testing facilities I contract to do the testing work.
But, God, yo, why is it there are still acts that don't make money but are signed and promoted?
Either:
1. Dumb AR men
2. POLITICS!
Politics is usually it, I know most AR men can tell you what is shite and what isn't, but the fact is, if I have a hot producer, and I make money off his acts, I will take the loss of several of his acts, as long as his track record is up.
Look at it this way, and I'm really making it simple, AND THIS IS WRONG, I AM NOT TELLING ANYBODY TO DO IT, FIND A LAWYER IF YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING:
HYPOTHETICAL SITUATION:
Dr. Dre comes to me, and he wants to work with my company because he sold Aftermath Records and just wants to make music w/o the being involved in the record company part of it (THIS IS HYPOTHETICAL OK???)
So, I look at Dre's track record, he's stellar. But he has a bunch of shite rappers that he needs signed because he wants extra money for himself. I know he needs money (wants to buy a Ferrari, whatever) so I make a deal with him and do the signings of the wack rappers, knowing they will fail AS LONG AS HE ALSO GIVES ME HITS.
I will play this game with him, hits versus losses, as long as he keeps my record company paid.
But, what if Dre asks AR to sign an act, and AR gets something for signing the act?
KICKBACKS
It happens, it's illegal, don't do it. If you don't know what a kickback is, it's basically bribing a person to sign your act. Unfortunately, it happens, DO NOT DO THIS IN ANYWAY, HIRE A LAWYER TO CONSULT YOU IN ANY DECISION, I AM DISCLAIMING THIS.
Also, AR get "presents" which are not direct money, like cars. THAT IS WRONG TOO.
That's why you hear shite, and people lose money. Record biz is about favours rather than a full-on look at the bottom line (though now it's changing somewhat.)
God, what can I do, as a person on Illmuzik, to get AR to want me?
If you're an act: polished presentations, music videos, and a manager to work with who really knows what they're doing. If your manager is an asshole, but I like the act, I'll find a better manager to replace him/her with. Usually an act that gets signed has spent between 15000-40000 USD/EU on their presentation, press package, "presents" for AR (ILLEGAL< DON'T DO IT!), etc. That is why many bands or groups get funding from friends or relatives in a major way. It is not easy to get signed, and money helps separate others from the rest of the pack. That shows the amount of commitment an act has to its music, and hopefully, when signed, its label.
If you're a producer, it's a different story. It's about networking, who you know, it's a tough road. For example, as an AR rep, you get many 'freebies' from hopeful producers, or managers, like free dinners, and usually, even if the act or producer is horrible, you still string them along for the freebies. It's cruel yet reality.
That's all I can write for now. If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask.
Sincerely,
God
