Artist Development and Management

WHAT HAPPENED TO ARTIST DEVELOPMENT?

In today's digital age of ring tones, iPods, and Rock Band®, artist development by record labels has gone the way of the 8 track and Walkman. Today's record labels only sign new artists who are prepackaged and ready to market. To be signed, you have to fit in one of the established industry molds – the blonde, the boy band, the rock star, etc. Each template has promising commercial viability and demonstrated record sales. Today's Artists and Repertoire (A&R) aren't looking for you unless you already have 1 million MySpace hits, commercial sponsors for your international tour, and a super swanked out tour jet.

Who is a product of Artist Development?

Michael Jackson. Diana Ross. Prince. All these artists had the opportunity to experiment. Artist Development was responsible for coaching these musicians to become music icons.

Bruce Springsteen is one of the many results of artist development. Springsteen's first two albums were folk influenced and sold poorly. It was his third rock-influenced album, "Born to Run," which launched his career. He had the opportunity to explore his musical style before the gates opened. Without Artist Development, Bruce Springsteen would not be the legend he is known as today.

Artist Development Today

Record labels and A&R no longer deal with potential in an artist. They are looking for what is selling and what grabs the greatest percent of the market share. In the late 1960’s and 70’s artists were allowed time to explore and find their voice. Today, artists are no longer developed. Artists are expected to come out of the gates selling records. What happened to music?

In an era where artists are no longer developed and are expected to fit into 1 of 5 cookie cut images, where is the authenticity? How do you take authenticity and develop it to attract record labels, promoters, and producers?

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