Job Description:

Groundwērk is seeking an A&R Researcher who will play a key role in identifying emerging artists through a combination of data-driven analysis and cultural intuition. The ideal candidate operates at the intersection of creativity, research, and analytics — passionate about discovering new talent, building scalable systems, and translating insights into actionable A&R strategies. This role requires a proactive self-starter who thrives in an entrepreneurial environment. Previous experience at a distribution company is a plus.

A&R Research & Discovery

- Oversee all research and data mining to discover new artists for Groundwērk’s A&R team.

- “Live on the internet.” You don’t mind spending 8+ hours a day researching and discovering new artists across platforms.

- Identify and monitor emerging talent using tools such as TikTok, Chartmetric, Luminate, Soundcharts, Mediabase, etc

- Research and communicate qualitative and quantitative insights on unsigned and developing artists.

- Synthesize data with taste — understanding that numbers alone don’t dictate potential.

- Track unsigned talent across streaming, social, and radio; communicate key milestones and inflection points to the A&R and executive teams.

-  Deliver weekly A&R Research Reports, submitting 15–20 new artist leads per week with supporting data and insights.

- Build out A&R Research Protocol — work closely with the Head of A&R and executive team to identify platforms, design discovery strategies, and refine how we track and evaluate talent.

- Contribute to the continuous development of Groundwērk’s internal data infrastructure and research systems.

Analysis & Reporting

- Collect, prepare, and explore a variety of music data from multiple sources; design new methodologies to extract insights.

- Utilize and help evolve Groundwērk’s proprietary A&R Research Tool, which tracks artist consumption trends, audience growth, and performance metrics across DSPs and social platforms.

- Generate rankings and data summaries of top emerging artists, identifying those with the highest growth trajectories and fan engagement.

- Support A&R and marketing teams with commerce, engagement, and performance reports (daily, weekly, monthly).

- Research industry trends, emerging platforms, and market shifts that impact artist development and discovery.

Outreach & Relationship Building

- Initiate contact with artists, managers, and creatives to gather insights and understand deal opportunities and gather insights.

- Provide data-supported recommendations to the A&R team regarding artist signings, partnerships, and development opportunities.

- Support A&R negotiations by organizing deal benchmarks and preparing competitive market analysis.

Qualifications

- 2+ years of experience in A&R research, data analytics, or music industry roles (label or distribution preferred).

- Deep understanding of cross-genre music research, artist discovery, and trend analysis across global streaming culture and digital music ecosystems

- Proficient with music analytics platforms (Chartmetric, Luminate, Indify, Soundcharts, etc).

- Highly organized and analytical with the ability to synthesize complex data into clear, actionable insights.

- Creative intuition and cultural awareness — you understand that data supports taste, not replaces it.

- Experience using Notion, Asana, Slack, Google Workspace, Excel, and data visualization tools.

- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to prepare concise reports and present findings to executives.

- Self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment and can manage multiple priorities independently.

- Passionate about music discovery, artist development, and bridging data with creative decision-making.

- Willingness to travel and attend industry events, showcases, and performances as needed.

The pay range for this position is: $40k-60k. The actual pay is dependent upon many factors, such as work experience and business needs. Please note that the foregoing compensation information is a good-faith assessment associated with this position only and is provided pursuant to the New York City Transparency Law.

This is a full-time position that can be remote. The ideal candidate is based in New York City and can work in person on a here-and-there basis.

Groundwērk considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other legally protected status under local, state, or federal law.

About Groundwērk:

It’s no secret that distribution has become commoditized, traditional record labels have yet to evolve, and artists are burdened with the expectation to “do it all” themselves. No one wants yet another music company doing more of the same. Enter Groundwērk; A multi-faceted music ecosystem, laser focused on partnering with entrepreneurs to build artist businesses. How do we do it? With an expert team leveraging deep relationships, a distribution platform delivering actionable analytics, and forward-thinking strategies that move the needle. Groundwērk is building the future of the music business - brick by brick.