Response to: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2021/jun/28/robot-rock-can-big-tech-pick-pops-next-megastar
As our world becomes increasingly digitized, so has the way music is being created and distributed. Now, the process record labels are using to find new artists is following suit. The introduction of AI technology that can sort through thousands of songs to discover new talent, to some, signals the inception of A&R's extinction. I disagree – to me, it signals the creation of a new tool to enhance and assist in the A&R process. You can't quantify a good artist. Music is a visceral experience so a humane touch is a necessity. Plus, not every artist on the internet is ready or has what it takes to be in the spotlight.
Many have started to question the necessity of the A&R position in light of the news that some labels have started using AI technology to find new artists based on factors like streaming, social media, and touring stats. This new technology can sift through massive amounts of data to pick up on new talent. There are many logistical advantages to this. For one, the technology can analyze and classify more information than humanly possible in a shortened time frame. Additionally, it could potentially find more patterns and help decipher what your audience likes, enabling the record label to understand what they gravitate towards sonically. In short, it provides valuable data that could massively help the record label in honing in on their audience. It also aids the A&R process of finding new talent, as it points them in a direction in which they should be looking. However, there are many drawbacks to relying solely on AI technology.
As aptly stated by Hazel Savage, "AI can't learn something that it hasn't been taught," – that already presents a problem in the A&R process. Although, to some, there is a benefit which, is that it could find more of the same. Artists that are similar to those already in the spotlight, making it big. So, for record labels whose objective is making money, capitalizing on fresh artists that fit into what's currently popular is all good and well to make money on the momentum, but not for longevity. If labels were to rely solely on AI technology, the music industry would become oversaturated with more of the same voices. We need new voices in the industry, not clones. Another key point is that artists who don't fit into any specific genre will get lost in the algorithm. The label ends up losing out on a massive well of untapped talent that the algorithm is not detecting. That is why you need a humane touch – the A&R.
Rather than solely relying on AI, it should be used in conjunction with the A&R's skills. There is a visceral element to what makes a good song – to what makes a good artist. AI can't detect an artist's drive and motivation; it can't detect the artist's ability to connect deeply with their fans (of whatever size). Only a human can. Only a human can see the potential that lies within an artist. Yes, perhaps an artist has a fanbase, a few songs that the AI's have detected, but that doesn't equate to being prepared to be in the spotlight. To put it differently, you can't quantify a good artist. The data should help the process, not be the process.
Another point to consider is that once the artist is signed – what next? If the A&R doesn't exist, who helps the artist nurture their talent and bring their vision to life? Often, these artists have no experience operating in the music industry. Without someone steering them in the right direction, they can quite easily fall off. They need someone with experience in the music industry who can guide them and whose objective is to help bring their vision to life. It smoothens the process.
After all, the invention of new tools to aid artists in creating music does not relieve the artist of necessity. Similarly, in this case, AI is a new tool to utilize in conjunction with the A+R to find new talent. Its creation does not signal the death of A&R – it signals the enhancement and refinement of the process. The long-term goal of the A&R process should still be to discover new talent, act as a liaison between that talent and the rest of the label, execute a business plan for the artist's career, and equally important, nurture that talent and aid in bringing their vision to life.
For instance, Tems, a new artist on the scene, already she's making waves in the music industry. Tems is an example of an artist that reasonably exemplifies this goal, being that, in the short time she has been on the scene, her actions appear to be deliberate. The trajectory of her career also gives the impression that she has a good team behind her. A team that is helping her bring her vision to life beautifully, both sonically and visually, helping to steer her in the right direction. One can only hypothesize that this was accomplished with the help of a skillful A&R at RCA Records.
All things considered, A&R's are as vital as ever. The creation of these new technologies should serve to enhance the A&R process, not eliminate it. There is a data component to music – streaming numbers, fan interactions, social media followers– but there is also a humane element to it, one that only a human can detect and aid in nurturing.
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