Advances in recording technology has made it possible for talent to affordably create ten times more music than what was possible just a few years ago. At the same, record companies have reduced their staffs significantly as a result of low CD sales and automation of certain tasks previously done by humans. Combine the high volume of new music invading record company email accounts and mailrooms and a rapidly shrinking A&R staff, and you will find a huge bottle-neck of unsolicited music that will probably never be heard at the record company. Simply put, there are not enough record company personnel to listen to all of the music submitted.

o Record Executives prefer to work with people that they know, more importantly those with ears they trust.

Beyond the glitz and glamour of the music industry, like any other job, record executives and A&R have to perform to maintain their employment. They are only as good as their last record or artist released. Record executives are under constant pressure by their bosses to deliver top marketable music and talent that can compete on major radio stations, TV, industry trade charts, and most importantly at the cash register. If a record company executive does not bring competitive music to the label they are out of a job and their record company will go out of business.

So the issue for most record companies is that ninety-five percent of all unsolicited submitted music is not marketable or does not fit the format of the record companies. To help record executives deal with the issue of high volume and low marketable music, they don't accept unsolicited music. They limit submissions to people that they know, more importantly from industry-insiders with ears they trust. By this approach record executives know that they will get a much higher percentage of competitive music and marketable talent.