Republic Records Names Miles Beard, David Wolter Co-Heads of A&R
Written by djfrosty on July 15, 2024
Republic Records has named Miles Beard and David Wolter as co-heads of A&R, the company announced today (July 15). Beard, based on the West Coast, and Wolter, based on the East Coast, will report to label president and chief creative officer Wendy Goldstein.
The duo, who both joined Republic in 2022, had previously served as executive vice presidents of A&R for the label. Their new roles will see them jointly lead the A&R development and strategy for the company, as well as oversee partnerships, alongside executive vp Danielle Price, who oversees the R&B/hip-hop A&R team.
“When it comes to A&R, Miles and David are two of the industry’s most savvy and visionary executives,” Goldstein said in a statement. “They could not be more different in terms of preferences, approach and even location of the two coasts, however they’re the perfect match to run this department. They share a rare passion for music and they’re intensely committed to championing their artists. Their partnership is genuinely next-level and will be integral to our success going forward. Our focus is creating a dominant A&R team with them along with our hip-hop/R&B initiatives.”
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Beard has worked with the Jonas Brothers, with Republic’s K-pop partners on Stray Kids and TXT, and on Republic’s recent deal with Nigerian label Mavin for the singer Ayra Starr, among other projects. Wolter, meanwhile, has worked with artists like Conan Gray, Greta Van Fleet, Miranda Lambert and Zoe Kravitz for the label. Republic Records — also home to superstars like Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, The Weeknd and more — is part of Republic Recording Company, alongside Island Records, Def Jam Recordings, Mercury Records, Casablanca Records, indie distributor Imperial and the Corps team, under Monte Lipman and Avery Lipman.
“It’s incredible to work with Wendy, Monte and Avery Lipman, and my new partner Miles,” Wolter said in a statement. “We have so much support. Wendy’s instincts are unrivaled. Monte and Avery don’t stop, and it’s inspiring. When it comes to our artists, I just want to be a vigilant fighter for their artistry. My main hope is for our team to have a massive impact on culture and challenge the status quo.”
Wolter spent a decade at Virgin Records from 1997 through 2007, signing The Gorillaz, before spending another 10 years at RCA Records, before returning to Virgin under the Capitol Music Group umbrella in 2017, and then shifting to Republic in 2022. Beard, a longtime DJ, spent 10 years at Mike Caren’s APG, signing Charlie Puth, before moving to Republic.
“Wendy, Monte and Avery make you feel like anything is possible,” Beard said in a statement. “The way they balance being good people and being extremely competitive is one-of-a-kind. David and I are opposites. He’s a purist, I just love what people love. He has no filter, I’m measured. He’s tall, I’m short. We complement each other in every way. As an A&R, I want to make our artists feel comfortable and motivated to think as big as possible.”