Who actually discovers the stars of tomorrow?

As an A&R manager, you will be at the forefront of the music industry and will be important in discovering and promoting emerging talent. In contrast to a music label, your work as an A&R manager at a music publishing company focuses primarily on promoting authors and songwriters. You look for new talented artists and help them to place and market their works.

To find and support the next big talents, you scout music demos and visit live concerts and online platforms. Behind every new gig or uploaded song, you could find new musical gems. You discover artists with potential, give feedback and help them develop their own songwriting. At the same time, you strengthen the music publisher's repertoire by placing new music in a variety of contexts. Your feel for trends and your understanding of the business context will help you find artists who will shape the music landscape.

As an A&R manager, you need an excellent ear and a deep understanding of different music genres to identify promising talent. You can make the most of your strong communication skills in this job, as you work with artists, but also with departments such as controlling or the legal department. At the same time, you build up an extensive network in the music industry, which enables you to make the right connections and play a leading role in the industry.

There is no classical training or separate degree for A&R management. Many people who work in this job have a degree in business administration, come from the communications or marketing sector or are musicians themselves and have contacts to a record company. Practical experience or internships are gained mainly with music publishers. A high level of passion for music, the music industry and the trends of tomorrow are a good indicator of whether this profession is right for you.

At the REEPERBAHN FESTIVAL JOB INSIGHTS you can find out even more about entering the job market and everyday working life (in German):