A&R Academy

Who are Columbia Records?

Columbia Records is a premier frontline label of Sony Music Entertainment. Its roster features some of the most famous names in music history including Bob Dylan, Patti Smith and Bruce Springsteen, alongside some of the finest cutting-edge artists in the world today such as Calvin Harris, Rosalía and Koffee.

Founded in 1887, Columbia is the oldest surviving brand name in pre-recorded sound and home to an array of notable singers, instrumentalists and groups. From 1961 to 1990, its recordings were released outside the U.S. and Canada on the CBS Records label before adopting the Columbia name in most of the world.

What is A&R?

A&R is the part of the record label that is responsible for scouting new talent and then commercially developing that talent. A&R act as a liaison between the artist, artist management and the record label. A&R’s oversee the recording process and assist with the marketing and promotion of the artist. You will nurture and help develop the artist.

Who are you?

We’re looking for innovators. Someone bright who has their ear to the ground, extremely hardworking with a great eye and ear for talent. Someone who is able to keep up with the new trends in culture and new artists in the music industry as they emerge. You will have the tenacity and drive to develop your skills for spotting emerging artists, understanding and seeing growth in tracks, alongside developing extensive industry relationships. During your placement on the A&R Academy you can expect to receive lots of on-the-job and real life A&R experiences.  

What is the opportunity?

This is a 12 month, paid opportunity and as part of the A&R Academy you will also be part of the wider internship network at Sony Music UK. You will have a personal mentor throughout your time with us and along with fellow interns, you will get to attend “spotlight sessions” where you will get to learn the mechanics of a major record company. Day to day you will be working closely with the A&R team at Columbia Records, who will develop your A&R skillset through on the job training and real life scenarios. You can expect to receive bespoke A&R training where you will cover a whole range of topics from music rights to data, music trends to studio & mixing sessions, artist development and what really goes into releasing a track!

The program starts in March 2025, runs for a full year and is paid at London Living Wage. You must be eligible to work in the UK and be available for a full time role for 12 months. This is an entry level role and not suitable for experienced industry professionals.

The applications for this role will close on Monday 25th November at 10am GMT.

Day to Day of the role:

• You will actively build and develop an in-depth and specialist knowledge and understanding of hip hop, R&B and pop music.
• Listen to demos, cataloguing submissions and feedback to label presidents – you’re always on the lookout for the next big hit!
• You will take a proactive approach to building relationships, managing key contacts and artists
• You will be attending gigs, showcases, festivals and clubs, and researching new ones to attend
• Research new artists using different tools such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok as well as word of mouth from your own network of creatives
• Proactively learning and engaging with the music industry through blogs, social media, trade papers/websites and magazines.
• Collate A&R reports and be able to feedback to label heads
• Supporting the Head of A&R with diary management, studio booking and scheduling
• Suggest artists that could potentially partner with suitable producers for remixes
• Keep up with new trends and new artists in the music industry as they emerge
• Attend and take notes and A&R meeting with the Head of A&R and wider team
• Opportunities to learn from and network with the wider team and get stuck in with helping them with their day-to-day needs
• Create commercial and creative pitches on new artists for label heads
• Source songs and new songwriters for already established artists where necessary
• Be a key point of contact for all external relationships, picking up correspondence on behalf of the A&R team
• At all times maintain the highest levels of confidentiality, never disclosing Sony or artist information outside of the label.
• Maintain trackers and records on all projects pitched, in development or released
• Develop in depth knowledge of platforms for unsigned artists
• You will have the ability to identify opportunities that translate an artist’s vision to the fans

What we are looking for:

• Be able to demonstrate a good knowledge and understanding of the music industry
• You are digitally savvy and fully understand the different DSPs such as Spotify, Soundcloud (and others!) and be able to pull data from them
• You have good skills in Microsoft Office (excel, powerpoint etc) or similar programs
• You have experience balancing multiple priorities
• Flexible and committed – this is not a 9-5 office job!
• Passionate about the Sony Music roster and specifically the Columbia roster
• Confident, with the gravitas to deal with a broad range of contacts and personalities
• You’re a self-starter
• You are resilient and be able to adapt your communication style for different audiences
• You will already have taken steps to establish yourself in this space
• You need to be comfortable talking and interacting with talent at a professional level
• Demonstrate sound and professional judgement when interacting with external partners, always remembering you are acting on behalf of Sony Music

What we give you:

• You join an inclusive, collaborative and global community where you have the opportunity to fuel the creative journey
• A modern office environment designed to foster productivity, creativity, and teamwork
• An excellent range of benefits, like private medical cover, a generous pension scheme, life assurance and income protection, plus loads of music biz perks
• We invest in your professional growth & development
• Time off for a winter recess

Application details:

• Your application will be reviewed and you will have a response no later than the end of January 2025
• There will be a combination of online and in person interviews. The in person interviews will be in February 2025
• You must be over 18 to apply
• You must have the right to work in the UK to apply.
• You must be able to work full time hours from March 2025 - March 2026
• If you live abroad, we can arrange an online interview with the team. You do not need to fly to the UK to interview.

Equal Opportunities

As an active part of a culturally and socially diverse society, Sony Music’s aim is that our workforce is diverse and inclusive. Sony Music is an equal opportunity employer and supports workforce diversity.

We employ, retain, promote and otherwise treat all employees and job applicants according to their merit, qualifications, competence and talent. We apply this policy without regard to any individual’s sex, race, religion, origin, age, sexual orientation, marital status, medical condition or disability.

Privacy Policy

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Please note that applicants must be at least 18 years of age.