How A&R Has Changed - And Where It’s Going Next | Ex-Warner Records A&R Alex Peppiatt

Alex Peppiatt is a former Senior A&R at Parlophone / Warner Music, where he helped discover and develop breakout stars like PinkPantheress, Ashnikko, CKay, S1mba, and more.Now the founder of All Ways Dance Records, Alex is building a new wave of culturally-led music platforms and redefining what A&R means in today’s industry.🎙️ In this episode, we explore his career journey, what makes a viral artist, how to build independent artist infrastructure, and the future of music talent discovery.📌 Highlights:◼️ How PinkPantheress was discovered and developed◼️ What A&R really means in 2025 - and how it’s changed◼️ Why his label bets on niche, culturally distinct sounds◼️ The difference between managing vs signing artists◼️ What makes a song truly viral - and how to spot it early⏱️ Timestamps:00:00 – Intro01:15 – What does an A&R actually do?04:40 – From Sony to Ministry of Sound: Alex’s first breaks08:50 – Discovering PinkPantheress: the real story14:28 – Building All Ways Dance Records from scratch18:10 – How niche, culture-led music wins in 202423:05 – Viral hits: what made “Rover” & “Love Nwantiti” work27:33 – The rise of independent artist infrastructure30:20 – Management vs Label: how artists choose34:00 – Why “luck” is actually about readiness39:15 – Tips for aspiring A&Rs and artist managers42:00 – Which artist does Alex think will break in 2026?44:30 – Final thoughts and industry advice📲 Follow Alex Peppiatt:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexpeppiatt🎧 Listen to the latest AWD Records releases:https://linktr.ee/allwaysdance📲 Follow Dan Fisk:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danleonfiskTikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@danleonfisk__________________________________________________________________🎵 Music Maestro helps artists and brands grow with music content fans love 🫶🌍 Visit our website:https://www.musicmaestro.co.uk📬 Join our newsletter:http://eepurl.com/gKhqHX📽️ Watch our showreel:https://musicmaestro.box.com/s/vnzcu89ik251sic5uaojto7b1kql0zq3#musicindustry #musicbusiness #musicmarketing #music #podcast