A&R/The Joy Formidable

I've been interning at the A&R department for a major label for the past two months. My job is to seek out new artists for possible consideration by the company. Naturally they're very picky about who they want to sign as they're really only interested in artists that are going to move at least a few hundreds of thousands of records. The task of tracking down artists that have potential to sell millions is needless to say, incredibly difficult. The more I look, the more I realize that the bands that have the most talent will usually make a name for themselves on an indie label first and then make a crossover. At this point in time, record companies don't spend as much as they used to on artist development and are usually looking for a band that's in a convenient package. From my many searches, I have come to discover that many bands will spend the time and money preparing themselves in such a package. The ultimate drawback though is that 99.9% of bands that spend all this time on image and promotion probably should have used it writing good songs.

Of course along the way, regardless of marketability, I have been and will most likely continue finding artists worth listening to. As I find them, I will post examples here. This week, upon the recommendation of fellow blogger Jenn Pelly, I've come across The Joy Formidable. A British band with a forceful bite and catchy/sweet melodies, they instantly gave me the chills with their latest track "Greyhounds In The Slips" (featured below). Upon referring them to my boss, he informed me he has already been in touch with their manager, which of course doesn't mean a definite signing, but it at least shows there is very large buzz about them. Regardless of where they end up, they will more than likely be something you'll be seeing in your face real soon, so check em while they're still fresh.