A&R, eh?

[lisaj]

In the recording industry, just what does A&R stand for? Nobody seems to know...

[mikewith]

Artist & Repertoire... is the slightly underwhelming answer. It's the department that 'handles' the artists themselves, in particular uncovering new talent. In the modern age, this sadly consists of taping Pop Idol and/ or deciding which decent song from days gone by to desecrate via another anodyne cover version... Sorry, I'm going off at a tangent, aren't I?!

[WaldoMcFroog]

Nope, you're not. A&R people are increasingly rare these days as the corporate side of the music industry values marketing of lowest common denominator pap over spending the time develping an artist. If they were starting today, The Rolling Stones would only release one album and then disappear in to obscurity. Hendrix would be a non-entity, Queen would never have made Bohemian Rhapsody, Kate Bush would never have released an album, Prince would be on a scrapheap and Aerosmith and Run DMC would never have invented crossover rap/rock. Still, there's always S Club 7, eh?