A&R used to stand for Artist & Repertoire. Today it stands for Analytics & Research. How has this shift impacted what drives A&R decisions in 2018? What would happen if we missed the next Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Kendrick Lamar, Arctic Monkeys or Johnny Cash because they didn’t have enough Spotify plays or Instagram likes?

This panel will be a discussion about gut instinct vs. data. Are labels and publishers using data to inform artist signings instead of allowing it to dictate their decisions? How are A&R teams using metrics to make recommendations to roster artists on their labels for future songs/albums? Do streaming music economics allow labels and publishers to take more chances with artists? What has changed in the world of A&R and what has remained the same?



Programming descriptions are generated by participants and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of SXSW.