The Manager’s Playbook 062: Mike Caren - A&R, Artist Development, Hit Songs & Executive Leadership in Music Business

Mike Caren is one of the most respected music executives of his generation.

From his early years at Atlantic Records to building Artist Publishing Group and Artist Partner Group, Mike has played a major role in the careers of artists, songwriters, producers, and executives across the modern music business.

In this episode of The Manager’s Playbook, Mauricio Ruiz sits down with Mike for a wide-ranging conversation on A&R, artist development, music industry leadership, publishing, record labels, management, and what it really takes to build something that lasts.

Mike breaks down why great creative executives need strong opinions, why long-term thinking beats short-term hype, and how the best artists and executives separate themselves through discipline, consistency, communication, curiosity, and self-awareness. He also shares his perspective on identifying hit songs, building sustainable careers, filtering distractions in the age of social media, and creating teams that challenge artists instead of simply validating them.

This episode is a masterclass for anyone serious about artist management, music executive leadership, independent artist growth, A&R development, career longevity, and the inner workings of the music business.

Simply put, a conversation like this doesn't come cheap.

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Watch the full episode on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@managersplaybook⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Timestamps:

00:00 Why opinions matter
00:27 Mike Caren career breakdown
03:40 Giving back with facts
07:22 Service over extraction
08:09 Longevity mindset
17:00 Mentorship, not commands
19:10 A&R taste test routine
20:29 Time management and boundaries
23:11 Elite artist habits
26:30 Collaboration and trust
31:42 Optimism and embracing change
36:18 Focus versus distractions
39:29 Consistency and catalog growth
44:01 Tough conversations early
47:00 Feedback over complaints
48:12 Why hard conversations matter
50:53 Learning from mistakes
52:16 Overcommunicate to win
57:22 Teamwork and opinions
59:09 What makes a hit
01:03:20 Defining hits today
01:05:57 Getting ahead as an executive
01:10:04 Hiring and scaling slowly
01:14:54 Building around artists
01:17:59 Consistency for artists
01:22:57 Hiring passionate talent
01:27:23 Long-term career patience
01:28:28 Closing thoughts