Legendary A&R Colin Barlow sits down with Blinding Talent CEO Mark Adams and reveals how he signed Girls Aloud, chased the Yeah Yeah Yeahs across continents, and worked with icons like Beyoncé, Pharrell, and Justin Timberlake. Raw stories, real lessons, and music business gold. “Songs are everything.” A must-listen for artists, managers, and fans.

He discussed:

• The Relentless Importance of the Song
• Gut Instinct vs. Data in A&R
• Artist Development Takes Time
• Eclecticism as an A&R Superpower
• The Cultural Shift in Pop: From Polished to Wonky

Timecodes

02:00 Colin celebrates Skeelo’s iconic single and how even brief success can hold lasting impact.

3:05 From UB40 to early cover decisions, Colin explains the timeless power of reimagined music.

5:05 How a call about a Newcastle band sparked the Wildcard label—and birthed The Lighthouse Family.

9:10 Listening to UB40, Depeche Mode, hard rap, and beyond gave Colin the edge in spotting diverse hits.

10:15 Discusses genre tribes, fashion as identity (camouflage, baseball caps), and discovering vocal powerhouses like Dina Carroll.

12:20 From being ANR for Boyzone to shepherding Ronan's solo career, including “Life’s a Rollercoaster”—one of Colin’s proudest hits.

15:00 Signing the Yeah Yeah Yeahs changed Polydor’s reputation and opened doors to alt-rock and crossover acts.

18:20 The bold signing that unlocked a wave of alternative influencers like Snow Patrol and Scissor Sisters.

20:10 Praises Sam Fender's songwriting, authenticity, and potential to be “the UK Springsteen”.

22:00 Colin reveals he shaped Sound of the Underground from day one, embracing odd beats and daring creative vision.

23:30 Why great songs penetrate—regardless of origin. The golden rule: find your unicorn songs.

25:15 A crucial reminder that instant viral hits rarely build sustainable artist careers.

27:00 Tributes to Diane Warren, Paloma Faith, Gary Barlow, and true artist identities.

31:00 How Bring Me The Horizon and other acts that found massive streaming success without mainstream exposure.

33:00 The story of The Wanted’s school tour army redefining gatekeepers' decisions.

36:00 Argues against stats-first approach, advocating for belief, instinct, and long-term development.

40:30 From Beyoncé and Alicia Keys to Justin Timberlake—“Americans do it better” in production and precision.

44:15 A warm anecdote about sending Bowie a Golden‑Years rug—and getting a signed, quirky note back.

47:00 Reflections on Bowie and Prince’s fearless trial-and-error and artistic courage.

49:00 How RCA won a chart war, embraced Pharrell, and rode that joyful wave globally.

51:00 Memories from filming Eminem and Dr Dre and the enduring impact of The Defiant Ones documentary.

53:00 Critique of homogenisation in music and film, urging confidence and independence in artistic decisions.

55:00 How great A&R work requires being a psychologist, cultural curator, and song-shape shifter.

57:00 The demo that became Take That’s comeback single—pure A&R instinct in action.

60:00 Lessons about reunions and the pitfalls of missing original members for legacy acts.

62:00 From AI-powered Elvis concerts to how technology might bring Bowie & Beatles back to stages.

64:15 Colin warns against losing institutional memory and urges mentorship for next-gen music execs.

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