Create A Label: How To Play

Hello loons! Welcome to Create A Label, the internet's best and most interactive music simulation game! This game is all about creativity, music, and the spirit of competition. Seeing as you're probably new (we've all been there) or maybe you just need a refresher on how this all works, this thread is just for you! Come along on the journey of figuring out how to play this amazing game!



CAL is an online music simulation game. You take on artists and you play as them; releasing singles, albums, videos, and promo and more! You can sign an artist that has an established career and you can continue from where they've left off recently, you can sign a brand new artist and build their career entirely from scratch, or you can even create an artist that doesn't exist! The game is very interactive. You will be able to collaborate with other artists or even be part of their celeb squad! You can talk directly to other players in the Discord server, where most of the discussion about the game will take place.



Getting started is mega easy! Follow these steps to become a part of the CAL community!

1. Join the Discord Server
First order of business is joining the game's Discord server! All of the behind the scene game talk happens in the server, as well as announcements and general discussion, so it is vital that you are apart of it! Link to server: https://discord.gg/7PRufkNkAF.

2. Pick an Artist + Name Your Label
Next, you'll choose 2 artists to start. A list of claimed artists is on the OP of the CAL: Season 2 thread. You CANNOT sign an artist to your label that has already been signed to another player's label.
Once you have chosen your artists and label name, reply in the Artist Sign Up thread tagging @beysus. Your label name and the artists will be added to the OP in the main CAL thread!
NOTE: YOU CAN ONLY SIGN A MAXIMUM OF TWO ARTISTS.

3. All About the Money
All new labels are automatically given $25,000,000 as a starting balance. This starting balance is extremely important as it will be how you pay for all of your artist(s)’ promotion, and gain money from their sales and streams. We recommend you create a copy of this Google Sheet to keep track of your balance easily.


Now that you're all set up, here is how you play!

1. Promo
Like in real life, your artists' chart success depends on promo. You can post promo in many different forms. You can do standard TV interviews, radio interviews, or magazine interviews. In the Paid Promo List thread, you will find a list of paid promotional slots that your artist can do. You must book the paid promotion by PM'ing @calbooking. In addition, Flux (our very own music streaming service) playlists are equally great sources of promotion. Placements on Flux Playlists as well as a promotional slot on Flux Radio 1, can be found in the Flux Promo List thread, with information on how to book them.

2. Earning Money from Sales
Your label will earn money for the sales of your music. The money will come from three of our charts: iTunes Singles Charts, Flux Streaming Charts, and Albums Charts. On the iTunes Singles Charts, your label earns $1 for every song sold. There are iTunes Singles Charts posted for 5 different countries, and you add up your song sales among all 5 countries to get your total song sales for that week. So if your single sells 223,479 copies one week, then your label makes $223,479 from the sales of that song.
On the Flux Streaming Charts, your label earns the quotient of your total song streams divided by 150. There is a Flux Audio Streaming Chart and Flux Video Streaming chart, and you add up your streams among those two charts to get your total streams for that week. So if your single is streamed 121,437,921 times one week, then you do 121,437,921 divided by 150, giving you 809,586.14, therefore an earning of $809,586.14 from the streams of that song.
On the Albums Charts, your label earns $10 from every album unit, and/or $5 from every EP unit. There are Albums Charts posted for 5 different countries, and you add up your album units among all 5 countries to get your total album units for that week. So if your album sells 458,321 units one week, then you do 458,321 times 10, giving you 4,583,210, therefore an earning of $4,583,210 from the units of that album. Or if your EP sells 233,541 units one week, then you do 233,541 times 5, giving you 1,167,705, therefore an earning of $1,167,705 from the units of that EP.
While all of this may seem confusing, our Discord server will have template spreadsheets, where all you will have to enter is your sales & streams, and your earnings will be automatically calculated.

3. Releasing Singles/Albums
You must use songs that have been released on official streaming services (you have to license songs that are not by your signed artist and cannot license a song licensed by another label). You can see what songs are licensed in the Licensed Songs Repertoire thread, and see information on how to license music. In addition, you have to pay writers fees when releasing music. Check out the Writers Fees thread for more information.
All music MUST be released on a Friday! You can announce your singles in advance but singles are not able to pre-ordered. You can announce albums or EPs in advance and they are able to be placed on pre-order (you can track pre-orders in the iTunes Charts). All music is to be released in the CAL: Releases thread, NOT the main CAL thread.

4. Your Artist on Social Media
You don't have to do this but most players do. There is an app available for download on Apple’s Appstore, Social Dummy https://apps.apple.com/us/app/social-dummy/id610088272, where you can create a spoof Instagram and/or Twitter account for your artists. You can use the spoofed Instagram and/or Twitter for announcements, fan interactions, or simple cute posts. After creating a spoofed post, take a screenshot of it, and post it in the main CAL thread.  Click THIS LINK RIGHT HERE for an example of a spoofed social media post.

5. Tracking Your Success
Various music charts are posted throughout the week to keep you up to date with the success of your latest music releases. The schedule is as followed:
Friday - Weekly iTunes Charts (Singles + Albums)
Saturday - Weekly Flux Streaming Charts
Sunday - Official Weekly Albums Charts
Monday - Official Weekly Singles Charts
The hosts will guarantee to try their best to thoroughly follow each chart’s respective posting day, however, if for any reason there is a delay in posting, players will be notified in the Discord server.



Like any game, CAL has rules! Here are the rules and guidelines you must adhere to at all times!

1. Articles
On most CALs, you must write articles for any promotional slot your artist books. However, that is not the case here. For the large part, there is no need to write articles. A simple weekly post in the CAL: Weekly Promo Schedules thread suffices (check out that thread for information on how to post there). However magazine covers must have an image produced of the material.
You CANNOT book a paid show more than once within four weeks (yes, you are NOT allowed to book the same show on June 30th then July 1st). If you book twice within four weeks, then the second time will NOT be counted as promo toward the charts.  


2. Videos
Music videos are some of the best promo opportunities out there. They are also AMAZING for buzz. That is why there is a $200,000 fee to release a music video, and all music videos must be booked by DM’ing @calbooking prior to release. In addition, all music video articles must be 300 words minimum. That's way fewer words than this post up to this sentence so you can do it no problem! Most everyone ends up with well over 300-word videos without even thinking about it so it isn't as hard as you think!
Music videos that are not booked with @calbooking or contain less than 300 words will NOT be counted toward the charts.

3. Paid Bookings
A calendar of what artists have what paid promo slots booked will come out at the start of every month. To book paid promo you MUST BOOK IT THROUGH @calbooking  AND HAVE IT BE APPROVED BY THEM! Full information on booking can be found in the Paid Promo List thread.



Am I allowed to erase an established artists career and start from scratch?
You are allowed to change a signed artists career up as you please up until January 1st, 2017. Everything before that is set and can not be changed.

Am I allowed to release remixes?
Remixes are allowed, yet come with rules. Remixes must be with in-game artists only (signed artists by players or rent-a-rappers/singers). Absolutely no remixes with unsigned artists (this includes unsigned DJs/producers). In addition, a song can have a MAXIMUM of one remix. No Old Town Road gazillion remixes here!