How a Legendary A&R Decides What Works

A hit isn't just a great song. Wendy Goldstein breaks down the decisions that shaped career-defining moments for The Roots, DNCE and Ariana Grande.

Republic Records Chairwoman and CCO Wendy Goldstein joins Justin Tranter to break down how she evaluates artists, songs and collaborators: why personal taste isn't the job, what the first five seconds of a record need to accomplish, why a recognizable identity matters more than chasing trends, why she prefers small core teams and why timing can matter as much as the record itself.

Through stories about signing The Roots, building DNCE with Joe Jonas, Ariana Grande's decisiveness during the thank u, next era and decades spent studying the records that came before her, Wendy explains what great A&R actually looks like when the goal is not simply making one hit, but building a career that lasts.

The conversation also gets personal as Wendy reflects on going through cancer during the biggest year of her career, why making records became a source of joy during treatment, why executives sometimes have to protect the creative relationship from the business, and what she does when a record she believed was a hit simply doesn't work.

Wendy Goldstein is Chairwoman and Chief Creative Officer of Republic Records. Her A&R career has included work with artists including Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, Nicki Minaj, the Jonas Brothers and The Roots.

Unfamous with Justin Tranter goes behind the decisions, false starts, breakthroughs and collaborations that shape the work we love.

Chapters
0:00 Inside Wendy Goldstein's A&R Playbook
2:15 How a Teenage Club DJ Found Her Way Into A&R
7:23 What an A&R Actually Does
10:38 When Data Helps and When Instinct Has to Take Over
14:06 Why Personal Taste Isn't the Job
17:12 Signing The Roots and Finding the Hit They Needed
21:18 The “Superpower” Wendy Saw in Joe Jonas
24:48 Why Knowing Old Records Helps You Make New Ones
31:24 What Artists Do That Actually Hurts Their Chances of Getting Signed
33:42 When to Wait, Pivot or Move Fast on an Artist
34:36 How Ariana Grande Turned Around “thank u, next” Overnight
39:04 Why Chasing Too Many Sounds Can Hurt an Artist's Career
40:39 Why Two Producers Can Be Better Than Ten
46:09 The Collaborator Red Flags Wendy Notices Immediately
48:09 Why You Never Force the Art to Meet a Deadline
52:59 Why Creative and Executive Roles Can Collide
56:29 Would David Bowie Break in the Social Media Era?
59:47 Cancer, Creativity and the Biggest Year of Wendy's Career
1:04:17 The Relationship Skill Every Great A&R Needs
1:07:36 What Wendy Does When a “Hit” Doesn't Hit

Credits

Unfamous is hosted by Justin Tranter
Created by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart
Produced by Justin Tranter & Morgan T. Stuart
Written & Researched by Morgan T. Stuart

Director: Morgan T. Stuart
Co-Director + Cinematographer: Olivia McCrary
Audio Engineer: Mike Sabri
Camera Assistant: Kolbi Samantha

Special thanks to Mark Beavan, Jimmy Knehans, Luke Nichols, Joe Carozza and Beau Benton.

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