Discovering New Music In The 21st Century: 3 Tips To Improve Your Search

Traditional methods and tactics used to find new artists in the 21st Century, combined with the sheer volume of music being released, are causing music industry professionals to miss out on artists with incredible potential.

In the 21st Century (aka the ‘Digital Age’), data and A&R go hand in hand and using data platforms and services will definitely make the life of a modern A&R Executive easier, however, there is still some argument for having ‘good ears’ and ‘good music taste’ in order to find the ‘right talent’ – the long-term artist proposition.

So, whether you’re a newbie or an experienced veteran discovering new music in the 21st century, here are 3 tips to help you improve your search for tomorrow’s superstars today:

Tip #1 - Expand Your Search

If you always search for talent in the same places, in the same way as you have been doing, you’ll always get what you’ve always had, essentially more of the same. Try something different, if you’re a social media native, try and go to more live shows, if you’re already going to live shows regularly, compliment that with some data analysis.

In addition, try speaking to music producers, already doing that? You could speak to music lawyers, live agents, music supervisors, or even any school age youngsters in your family circle as they are more likely to be early adopters of new music trends and you’ll be surprised about the artists they’re listening to, compared with what those in industry circles are saying is the next big thing.

Tip #2 - Sign For Performance

As I’ve said, good ears, good music taste and ultimately some level of quality control to filter out the noise will always be a key factor in finding great new musical talent. So, just like sports teams hold try-outs, theatres hold auditions and companies interview potential employees for roles, if you’re in the business of partnering with/signing musical talent, consider seeing them perform live beforehand and meet in-person.

"good ears, good musical taste and ultimately some level of quality control to filter out the noise will be a key factor..."

In the age of the ‘bedroom artist’, coupled with the wide variety of free music creation software options available, many popular acts have never performed in front of an actual audience, let alone in a professional recording studio and the ability to do so could be the difference between a successful, long-term artist proposition and another one-hit viral moment.

Tip #3 - Get The Bigger Picture

We’ve all heard of artists being labelled as flops based on one release, but until we get a holistic view of someone, our judgement of them will always be flawed. This is why it is important to use a wide range of new and traditional resources and tactics to make better informed choices, ranging from old-fashioned word-of-mouth, to the latest music data analytics app or platform.

Essentially, some artists will need more time and a longer incubation period in order to become the star they are meant to be. It may be the case that they need hands-on development and guidance with their music, or they may just need infrastructure and resources in the form of expertise in A&R or Marketing, or supply chain access to handle distribution of their music to allow them to fully focus on honing their craft.

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Summary

Whilst there are no strict rules, magic formula or science to finding new artists (otherwise there would be nothing but clones of other successful acts), as long as you keep an open mind, try new things and speak to new people, you will surely be in a better position to make better decisions.

Also, try not fall into the trap of equating experience with ability or credentials with competence, someone with years of experience is no more or less able to succeed than the opposite, likewise, a long list of amazing credentials does not necessarily assure you a certain level of future success.

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