A&R Scout

About Material Music 

Material is a multi-division independent music company uniting record labels and publishing. Built from the ground up in London’s Soho since 2008, Material has grown into a versatile and culturally connected independent music business. Operating across multiple dance and electronic record labels (Dansu Discs, Pressure, Stress, Future Disco and more) and expanding global music catalogue. 

Material develops and supports a roster of electronic and crossover artists with millions of streams and a global touring presence. We are committed to artist development, building careers for the artists on our roster with an emphasis on fan building and connection. 

About the Role

We're looking for a sharp, culturally-plugged-in A&R Scout to find and help sign the next wave of dance and electronic tracks breaking out, with a particular focus on artists with engaged socials and viral momentum on platforms such as Instagram and Tik tok. 

This is a talent-spotting role at heart: you can spot trending tracks, tell the difference between a fleeting trend and a track with real potential, and can determine whether an artist has genuine engagement and momentum behind them as well as that special something that sets them apart to the biggest act of tomorrow . 

You'll work remotely for the most part (visiting the office once a fortnight), feeding directly into our A&R pipeline - flagging tracks and artists early, building relationships with the right people, and helping turn viral moments into signed deals. 

What You'll Do

• Scout daily on TikTok and Soundcloud (and adjacent platforms - Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts) for emerging dance/electronic tracks and artists showing early or accelerating viral momentum

• Go To Shows 

• Track trend signals - sound usage counts, creator uptake, engagement velocity, comment sentiment - to separate genuine breakout potential from noise

• Build and maintain a live pipeline of scouted tracks/artists, with clear notes on trajectory, rights status, and contact routes

• Make first contact with artists, producers, and their managers and teams to gauge interest and availability on tracks

• Stay ahead of the curve on sub-genre trends within dance and electronic music

• Report regularly on pipeline status, market trends, and platform shifts that affect scouting strategy

What We're Looking For

• A genuine, deep understanding of dance and electronic music - its sub-genres, culture, key labels, producers, and where the sound is heading next. You may be a DJ, collector or just a passionate clubber, but you should live and breath the music and genre. 

• Fluency in Social Media and TikTok - you understand the platform's mechanics, trend cycles, and what actually drives a sound to break out, not just what's trending today

• Experience scouting, spotting, or working with emerging artists (A&R, being a dj, a content creator, tastemaker, platform-side experience all relevant)

• Strong network or the ability to build one quickly - artists, managers, producers, and industry contacts in the dance/electronic space

• Sharp instincts for commercial potential balanced with a genuine ear for quality

• Self-starter who can work independently, manage their own time, and move quickly without heavy oversight

• Comfortable working remotely and reporting into a small, fast-moving team

• Excellent communication skills - confident reaching out cold to artists and managers

• Existing relationships with dance/electronic artists and managers

• Experience with music analytics or trend-tracking tools

• A track record of having flagged or helped sign an artist/track that went on to break out

Contract Details

• Type: Freelance

• Commitment: Flexible, remote - expect regular time investment daily given the pace of TikTok trend cycles 1 to 2 days per week. 

• Compensation: Monthly fee (rate discussed based on experience and track record)

• Location: Mostly remote, visiting the office once a fortnight to discuss findings in more depth and update on current status of deals / conversations. Should have easy access to London.  

HOW TO APPLY:

Location: Mostly remote, but will require coming into the Material Music office in Central London occasionally, so applicants ideally to live within 90 minutes of London. 

Contact Us: Send your CV and a cover letter explaining why you’re the right candidate for this role to hello@materialmusic.net

Material Music is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability status.

Learn more about us at www.materialmusic.net.