4 Tips Labels A&Rs Want You to Know

We’ve been talking a lot about releases styles, and most producers, including myself, love to go with the label route, but we still rely on A&Rs liking our songs. Therefore, instead of just reading my opinion about labels and self-release, let’s take some advice from label A&R directly

4 THOUGHTS FROM ME

1. Send demos that are fully finished! Until you have developed a strong working relationship with a label send songs that are 100% ‘Completed’ in your eyes. Put your best foot forward from the start. Sure, changes might need to be made, but what matters is showing the ‘gatekeeper’ you know your stuff. The quickest way to get on the naughty list is sending a track that is 50% completed hoping for the A&R to give you the recipe to complete it.
Jeff Ozimits, A&R at FSOE Parallels

2. 2. Do Your Research. Does the song you have fit the vibe of the label? This can vary as time goes on as trends change, and sometimes record labels also change what they are looking for. Figure out who you are sending it to and if that makes sense with what that label is currently releasing.
Jeff Ozimits, A&R at FSOE Parallels

3. You don’t need to be a huge following to get a song signed. There are some labels that do value the amount of your following, and it doesn’t hurt to have an existing portfolio since it certainly helps A&Rs understand where you’re coming from, but, in the end, it all comes down to the music. In that sense, try to be innovative by creating a sound that is yours, but, at the same time, that is digestible within the rest of the label.
Paraphrasing Adrian Alexander, A&R at Anjunabeats in his talk with EDMTips

4. When sending a demo via email, make it short and sweet. Be polite and professional, but most importantly, get straight to the point. Remember you are there for one thing only: Getting your music signed. An A&R could very well have been listening to demos for the entire day before opening yours. Therefore, make it as easy as possible for them. I find that 2 options work best: (1) A simple stream link for quick listening (Soundcloud, Dropbox, etc.) and (2) a download link in case they want to examine it further without any alteration of sound.
Edhi Edward, Label Director at Masvingo Recordings

More tips from label A&Rs next week

1 QUESTION FOR YOU

How can you make your current song more attractive to a label?
1. Get feedback from your peers to make sure your track is nice, or just send it to us and we’ll review it for you with our free feedback;
2. Don’t make a song exactly like someone else. If people are saying it sounds too much like XXX, try to make your own a little bit more;
3. Use multiple kinds of Sample Packs. Instead of using just one sample pack or sample packs from only one company, consider adding more companies. The more diverse your samples are, the more options you’ll have to make something unique;
4. Get inspired by other genres. Make sure that your song fits the main genre, but feel free to incorporate little bits from other genres that inspire you as well;
5. Differentiate yourself with Sound Design. As mentioned in this post,  Overtones by Frost has a unique sound design, and probably what Anjunabeats liked about it as Jody Wisternhoff said.