Jun 17, 2020
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How To Approach A Label A&R To Get A Record Deal

 

Nowadays there are many ways to publish your music – even without a label partner! Nevertheless, it is still true that a record deal, whether with a big label or a great indie label, is still an extremely attractive career path for many musicians. The resources are not to be underestimated and can still make the difference and take your career to the next level. Gatekeepers in the record labels are the A&R (Artist & Repertoire) managers, who scout new talents for their company and supervise the content and music of signed projects.

But how do you get in touch with these key figures? How do you approach them and what should you pay attention to?

You Must Have Something To Show for It!

The days when a band or a solo artist is immediately signed with a really good song, starting from scratch are over. There may still be some exceptions, but usually, you have to start your career yourself and achieve certain things. Artist Development from scratch is no longer a focus of labels. If a project has already proven its worth or has something going, it is much more attractive for labels!

You Need A Unique Selling Point!

The sound, the story behind it, and you as an artist have to make sure that you really stand out. Find out which bands are already signed and worked by the respective label A&R or company and make it clear that you are something new in this genre.

Prepare Yourself Before You Contact A Label A&R!

Before you even think about contacting a label A&R, you have to do your homework. You need an artist concept that includes more than 1 or 2 demo recordings and a rough description of your style! Be precise and present your highest quality songs that clearly show what you’re all about. And it may sound simple, but it is a common mistake: Name your demos correctly and professionally! Prepare a bio and pictures that present the overall concept of your project. Show what you have already achieved (gigs, social media, collaborations, fan insights) and what your vision for the future looks like.

Address the A&R’s Properly!

Assuming you’ve got those things straight, and assuming you found the email address of matching A&R’s through research or contacts: it is super important how you write your emails! The A&R wants to feel individually addressed and not get the impression that the email was sent to 100 other contacts. Make an effort!

Use Network Events!

Meanwhile, there are always some possibilities to get to know A&R’s and other decision-makers of the music industry directly and to introduce your music to them. Such industry events like SongsCon in Berlin offer a pretty unique opportunity to get in touch with the A&R’s directly and impress them with your personality. Take advantage of opportunities like this! You can make sure that the A&R’s really listen to your stuff and that your email doesn’t land in their spam folder.

Use Online Platforms & Offers!

Because it’s very hard to get guaranteed feedback from A&R’s and by just sending emails you as an artist often don’t know if the A&R’s will listen to your music at all, our partner Songmonk offers guaranteed feedback and contact possibilities with major labels A&R’s and A&R’s of big Indies (Universal, Sony, BMG, Warner, Ultra etc.) on their platform: In live video calls, you have a guaranteed one-on-one with them to present yourself and exchange ideas. There is also the possibility to book Recorded A&R Feedback.


Apply HERE for a free A&R session


SONGMONK is the next level music company to sell and promote your music and to be discovered by decision-makers from the industry – all in one platform! Be part of Europe’s largest curated music creator community!