In which ways has the digitalization changed the A&R profession : A&R in today’s digital industry : A valuable resource

Abstract

Behind every artist there is a handful of people that work day and night to make sure the artists career keeps going steady forward. In this machine consisting of record labels and managements, there is one profession that works in-between these to make sure everyone is happy. This paper aims to get a deeper understanding of the a&r profession and the importance this person actually has in the music industry. The background for this thesis lies in that a&r is a topic that not so many know too much about, and neither speaks of. In this paper, I will go deeper in to the world of the a&r and their working methods. The foundation for this thesis will be the a&r and the importance of their role before and after the digitalization. The A&R role will be set up against the changes the digitalization has applied to the music industry, to see if a&r role has been sustainable through the transition from analog to digital.