Over the course of his prolific career in A&R, Pete Ganbarg, Executive Vice President and Head of A&R at Atlantic Records, has worked with a wide array of artists ranging from Run DMC, Kelly Clarkson, Train, Halestorm, Santana and Daughtry, to Christina Perri, Twenty One Pilots, Donna Summer, Chaka Khan, Aaron Neville and more. He has A&R’d projects and/or worked full time for Columbia, Arista, Virgin, Warner Brothers, RCA, Epic, Capitol, and now Atlantic Records, where he has headed up A&R since late 2008.

Steve Ralbovsky, founder of Canvasback Music, has worked in the industry for over 30 years nurturing the careers of artists including David Gray, Soundgarden, LL Cool J, the Beastie Boys, Ben Kweller, The Strokes, Ray Lamontagne, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kings of Leon, and My Morning Jacket while at RCA, Columbia Records, and Def Jam. Ralbovky’s passion for artistry in music continues today at Canvasback Music, fostering the artistic development of a new generation of artists including Alt-J, Grouplove, The Joy Formidable, Frightened Rabbit, and The Orwells.

If you’re brand new in this business or even a seasoned pro, there’s no doubt that you've heard a recording referred to as a “record.” But what do industry professionals mean by this?

You’re an artist, you want to succeed, you recorded music.  What do you do next?
Below is a blueprint that, if you apply over the next year to six months, should increase your chances of success.  Some of you may already be doing/have done many of these things, and should start where it makes sense.  Others may need to start at step one.

Getting a song on the pop charts takes big money. Def Jam started paying for Rihanna's recent single, "Man Down," more than a year ago. In March of 2010, the label held a writing camp in L.A. to create the songs for Rihanna's album, Loud.