Record labels play an important role in the music industry, from scouting new talent, to marketing & distributing music in physical and digital spaces, to enforcing copyright to ensure artists are appropriately paid.

We all know record labels exist… but what do they do, and how do they work? This massive, multi-faceted component of the music industry can feel overwhelming at first, but Rachel Cragg, Director of A&R at Nettwerk, breaks it down in terms that are easy to understand. Here, Rachel discusses the different roles the record label plays in the music industry.

What goes on at a record label? From producing music videos, to scouting new talent, to digital marketing, to data analytics: record labels both large and small employ hundreds of people in a diverse collection of roles across Canada.

Hear Rachel talk about how she got her start in the music business, and take in her advice to young people interested in breaking into the industry. She also speaks more about her role as an A&R Director, and how she helps bridge the creative and business sides of the music industry.

Rachel Cragg is the Director of A&R and Management for Nettwerk Music Group. Within her roles at Nettwerk, Rachel scouts and signs new musical talent and develops her client roster to maximize long-term artist success. Additionally, Rachel has vast experience freelance consulting for music festivals over the last 16 years, including Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Stagecoach. She has spoken on panels at conferences and institutions around the world such as SXSW (Austin, TX), BIG SOUND (Brisbane, Australia), The Great Escape (Brighton, UK), FOCUS Wales (Wales, UK), Breakout West (Kelowna, BC), Musicians Institute (Hollywood, CA), and UCLA (Los Angeles, CA). Throughout her career, Rachel has had the opportunity to work with many artists, including the Beastie Boys, Jimmy Eat World, The Mars Volta, Sarah McLachlan, Hermitude, Radical Face, Mallrat, and NEIL FRANCES, to name a few.

Previous to Nettwerk, Rachel worked at Silva Artist Management. She has recently finished an Executive MBA at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada, alongside her full-time roles.