A&R Budget

When you first register to play the game, each label you create is give an intial $70,000,000 to go out and spend on artists to fill your roster. Some artists are more expensive than others, based on past performance on the Net Music Countdown eTracks charts. New artists range in price from $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 each, established artists that have cracked the charts but haven't reached superstar status go for $5,000,000 to $15,000,000 each, and those artists that have enjoyed Top 10 status can reach $25,000,000. These artists will also increase or decrease in value over time, so your budget may increase or decrease as well. You have to stay within your budget whether signing artists for the first time at the beginning of the game, or switching artists later on. You don't have to spend all of your A&R budget. Any funds left will be used to determine your label's value.

Artist

The artist is the lifeblood of your label's roster. Each artist has or is currently on the Net Music Countdown eTracks charts, and all are available to you to sign to your label. Each week, the artist will generate (or not generate) revenue for your label. You can switch an artist for another whenever you like.

Artist Revenue

Each week, depending upon where an artist appears on the eTracks Charts, the artist generates virtual revenue for your label. This revenue is calculated based on several factors, including how high on the chart the artist is, how long the artist has been on the chart, and how long you've owned the artist. This revenue is the bulk of your Label Value, so you want to choose artists that will generate the most revenue each week for you.