Four Steps to Becoming a Talent Scout for Major Music Labels

Becoming a talent scout for a major record label is a dream job for many. Sadly the path to becoming one isn’t always clear.

In this article, we’d like to help you on your journey by talking about the real career path you can take to become a talent scout, what the job actually looks like, and where your career can take you.

Step 1: Learn About The Industry

In the music industry, talent scouting is often referred to as A&R (artist and repertoire) and, as you might expect, is all about finding new artists who have the potential to make big hits.

Perhaps the most common misconception about talent scouting is that it’s all about going to gigs and finding artists you love. That’s definitely a part of it but there’s a big difference between the fantasy of talent scouting and the reality.

Data driven analytics are fundamental to modern talent scouting. While you’ll certainly meet a few bands by hanging around at the bar after the show, there’s a lot of trawling through social media data to find out what’s trending and why.

Furthermore, talent scouting isn’t just about finding stuff you like. It’s about finding what will sell. Labels don’t care how amazingly complicated your favourite microtonal jazz/calypso fusion artist’s work is. They’re not looking to start a musical revolution – they’re looking to get streams and sell tickets.

Now, that’s certainly not to say talent scouts book artists they hate or that they avoid musically complicated work. In fact, it really does benefit to know the genre and to know what’s popular. Your taste will really help you so long as you use it to inform your understanding and not your final judgement.

Your taste still matters. You might not always love the artists you book but it’s easier to find new artists in a genre you love. It’s all about being active in your community. Speaking of which…

Step 2: Be Active in Your Community

Before you can get a job in A&R you have to network. You have to know how to talk to bands – it helps to have been in one – and you have to genuinely care about the music.

The skills needed for A&R rely heavily on having a firm understanding of why people like what they like. Again, your own taste will be crucial to understanding this, but speaking to other people and understanding their opinions will help appreciate work you don’t necessarily enjoy.

We really can’t stress enough how important it is to be curious and non-judgemental about other people’s tastes. People like being asked about their opinions and even if you don’t feel the same way about someone’s taste in music, knowing more about it can be fascinating in its own right. It may even broaden your own musical enjoyment as a side-effect.

If that sounds like social skills then that’s because it is. A&R is, first and foremost, a networking job. Community and networking go hand and hand. It’s all about building valuable connections.

Step 3: Be Your own A&R

Alright, we’ve talked about the skills but how do you actually get a job in A&R. The answer is actually quite simple. The best way to get a job in A&R is to go online and demonstrate those skills.

That means building a public profile, sharing artists whose work you like, and even doing a little free promotion. This all goes hand in hand with getting to know people and being part of the community. When you start applying for jobs, you need to show that you have the genuine passion and a path to finding real artists in your niche. It also shows that you have a strong understanding of social media which is crucial to the role.

Step 4: Apply For Jobs

Once you’ve built a moderate social media presence and integrated yourself into the community, start looking for small labels in your niche. Don’t bother applying to major labels right out the gate because those are the most competitive roles and they want the best.

Instead, focus on the labels who cater to a small but dedicated audience and who will really value your network. By learning the ropes at a smaller label, you’ll also have a portfolio of artists you can discuss when applying for the major labels.

All in all, the road to an A&R career is a slow one. It takes passion, dedication, and a real love of music. That said, if you’ve got all those qualities then the journey can be just as satisfying as the destination.