2020 may be less than a month old, but it's already shaping up to be a golden year for Irish music. To celebrate, Hot Press have launched a brand new fortnightly section, The A&R Department – an authoritative guide to the most exciting happenings on the Irish music front, both locally and internationally.

With an emphasis on emerging talent, our inaugural A&R Department, which features in our new 'Hot For 2020' issue, out now, takes a look at several artists poised to make major waves in the coming year. We report on the exciting plans that some homegrown music industry players have up their sleeves for 2020 – including New Ross producer and Plan B's former guitarist New Machine, aka Adam Jordan, who's planning to spend a good chunk of the year working with local talent across the country.

We also take note of the emerging acts clocking up major streaming numbers, including Oscar Blue, Smoothboi Ezra and JyellowL; and look at the homegrown talent, like Æ MAK, Lankum and The Wha, set to make a splash overseas in 2020.

The A&R Department will also feature interviews with up-and-coming artists on our radar. In the new issue, we kicked things off with a Q&A with one of our favourite acts from Whelan's Ones To Watch 2020, Greyface.

Offering fascinating and entertaining insights into the Irish music world that you won't find anywhere else, Hot Press's A&R Department is essential reading for musicians, agents, promoters and casual listeners alike.

Read the first A&R Department in our Hot For 2020 issue, out now!