Can Somebody Help with A&R Contacts ?

[MotifStudios]

Hi. First of all I am not just asking for somebody to give me an A&R contact, lol. However I am really struggling at the minute getting in touch with the right people, so I was wondering if anybody had any pointers?

Also, I have seen a lot of websites/products that state they have great A&R links and music publisher links. Are these of any use? Does anybody know of any great books/database that I should invest into?

I produce Mainstream Hip Hop and Electro Hip Hop styles. Any help is appreciated.

Ajay

[MotifStudios]

or perhaps anywhere I can get a good database of contact details for A&R's/music publishers?

[davedarling]

there are a few books - music industry (business ?) source book etc. that list all the current A&R, and publisher and such. Music Connection magazine used to do a once a year list on A&R , managers, publishers. You might try online search.
While I think it's a good idea to know who's who in the industry, very few (if any)
A&R guys listen to un-solicited materiel.
As far as the "send us a hundred bucks and a song, and we'll play it for the head of Warner Bros " no. doesn't work that way.

good luck DD

[narcoman]

lists are a waste of time.

it all works with who you know OR generating your own buzz to get yourself noticed.

Forget ANY other method.

[RCM - Ronan]

If you are looking to try and help you get a deal, I can not help with that, but if there is a particular A&R person you are trying to get contact info for, send me a PM and I probably have that info.

[MotifStudios]

thanks RCM i have private messaged u, look forward to your reply.

With the music contact lists for A&R's are there any specific ones which are useful that have real contacts? Legitamate A&R's who I can send material to?

Aj

[narcoman]

Originally Posted by MotifStudios

thanks RCM i have private messaged u, look forward to your reply.

With the music contact lists for A&R's are there any specific ones which are useful that have real contacts? Legitamate A&R's who I can send material to?

Aj

as i said - no.

RCMs offer is worth a million of these lists. It really is who you know PERSONALLY and not who you have the contact address of. Put your efforts into getting noticed, sending music out is a complete waste of time.... I get sent a LOT of music, and it just doesn't get listened too. My agent - who also is a leading UK A&R consultant - NEVER listens to stuff sent to him... and he's one of the most prolific and artist driven men of the last 20 years....

[MotifStudios]

Thanks narco i appreciate your help. I unedrstand sending stuff out is time wasting now! However what could I do to meet A&R's? Where can I go or what specific things would be good for me to do to get noticed ?

[jimcroisdale]

I remember back in the day sending 3-track dance demos to record labels.

We would always get notes back saying 'Thankyou, but it's not quite what we're after right now'.

A guy who wrote for SOS at the time (Big George) said that A&R never listen to the tapes anyway. He sent loads of early George Michael tapes to SONY and got the same notes back..... Same with BLANK tapes!

We used to send balloons, lollies, allsorts. And we always painted the jiffy bags red so they would open them first.

What a waste....

[awakened]

Originally Posted by narcoman

lists are a waste of time.

it all works with who you know OR generating your own buzz to get yourself noticed.

Forget ANY other method.

AMEN TO THAT.

Don't waste your time, all of your attempts to contact them would be unsolicited


Make a good product and the right (and wrong) people will find you.

[Keyflo]

Originally Posted by awakened

AMEN TO THAT.

Don't waste your time, all of your attempts to contact them would be unsolicited


Make a good product and the right (and wrong) people will find you.

yes, also keep lots of people around you, meaning artist that have some sort of connection to the industry, I built my lists of who to call when im ready. Keeping in touch with them by email as well. They dont like ass kissers, you just have to come hard with a product that you feel confident in, and will blow A&R's tops off.

Every artist has a manager, so dont go to the artists' myspace page, go to the managers, (yes the one with far less views lol) and blow their message box up....The managers can get stuff to A&R, but your better off creating your own product anyway

[majormusic]

I found a long list of A&Rs
A&R Contacts - Major Music Contacts Major Record Label Phone Numbers & Addresses

[equallyscrewed]

Originally Posted by majormusic

I found a long list of A&Rs
A&R Contacts - Major Music Contacts Major Record Label Phone Numbers & Addresses

Ha, i love how "audio mastering" is thrown in too...

[The MPCist]

A&R contacts are useless. If they don't already know you, they won't bother.

Start at your level in your city... do some gigs, get to know some DJ's on the local stations, put your music out there without label help.

And if you're good, they'll come knocking on your door wanting to share your money. That's when you can either choose one or continue to do it your own way......

With the economy and poor records sales these days, labels are not that into developing/pushing new acts.....

Do it yourself.

[rack gear]

Hi Ajay,

As many here have said, contacts are useless without context. Do you have a website? A myspace page? Being "discoverable" is important.

Also - the social aspect of the business is still in tact. Reach out to like minded people - make yourself available to them.

Its a tough gig all the way around.

Good luck and I'd love to check out your stuff if you have a link.

cheers

[shaneoconnor]

why do you want to be on a record label so badly?