1. The Business of Music
Now that you understand how a
record label is organized and what the
A&R department does, it's time to take
you through the steps a record
company goes through when it
decides to sign an artist. To
understand this process, let's take a
look at a rock group we'll call "Band
X," and a record label we'll call "For
Example Records."
Before artists can be signed, they have
to be discovered. Imagine, for this
example, that Band X is discovered designers and copywriters begin their
after an A&R representative from For work, the A&R department, as well as
Example Records goes to see Band X publicity, marketing and sales, decide
at a live show. Before the A&R person on a release date for the album. The
went to the show, he was given a artist development department (along
demo tape by a trusted source and did with other departments) plans the live
his research on the band. At the club, performances, promotional tour and
he likes what he sees and now must radio and TV appearances.
convince the entire A&R staff to sign
the band. When they are in The record company must make sure
agreement, the band is signed and the that there is promotion for Band X on
wheels go into motion. the national, regional and local level
(depending on how much money the
label is willing to spend).
Band X must now plan its album. The
A&R director and producer decide on
the concept of the album and select Near the time that the album will be
the songs that will be on the album. released, the label's departments are
For Example Records gives Band X a working hard to secure press coverage
budget, which is used for studio and exposure for the band. All the
musicians, studio engineers and studio machine's parts are working together
time. The A&R executive then to make sure that Band X's album will
coordinates a time for the band to sell many copies, ensuring the success
begin recording the album. (In the of everyone involved, from the artist
past, record labels had their own "in- to the radio stations to the CD stores.
house" recording studios, but today
most record labels use independent This is just a sampling of some of the
recording studios.) things that happen when a record
label signs an artist. As you can tell,
the music business is not just parties
While all this is going on, the other and hanging out with rock stars. A
departments of the record company record label must do a great deal of
are in full swing. A budget is allotted work to discover, sign, produce,
for advertising, art, publicity and promote, distribute and sell an album.
promotion. As graphic artists,