In the past struggling musicians were handed cash by benificent record cartels. /s
In the past the struggle was to even get any distribution or publicity, radio play was sewn up so artists accepted terrible terms from the distribution monopolies.
Musicians typically got 0-2% of revenues. http://www.salon.com/2000/06/14/love_7/
The past sucked way more for musicians & fans.
I cite Drummond & Cauty's The Manual, how to have a number one and make a million quid * as the KLF they did just this, repeatedly & using pseudonyms. That was in the 'bad old days', Cauty & Drummond proved that without a record company bleeding them dry artists could make a lifetime's cash with a single hit.
Todays 'problem' is everyone wants to create, sample, share, remix, transcode, &c but copyright maximalism largely prevents this.
I believe that a distribution scheme could pay creatives directly, just as a little extra, they can still sell stuff - my thesis is without the 98% loss due to the cartels this is workable and everyone can play & innovate. Ireland does this in reverse, artists don't pay tax there & get tax credits (~£50 per week).
Also restore copyright back to 20-40 years putting the 20th century in the public domain where it belongs and destroying the back-catalogue leverage the monopolists abuse.
* http://freshonthenet.co.uk/the-manual-by-the-klf/
Nearly anything would be better than suing fans & killing innovation.
They are trying to reassert control over distribution by shutting down those who won't pay what they want (grooveshark) or attain censorship power even in excess of copyright- like Youtube & DRM ( trumps transcoding rights & fair use ).
There are just as bad for artists as fans, just as bad as they always were, their death grip has slipped because they were too set in their ways to comprehend the internet was the future.
They also stop or cripple technologies they don't like.
They big label cartels are a social ill supported by monopoly lobbying and governments doing their bidding.
They extended copyright for so long that they own the rights to nearly the entire 20th centuries cultural output.
It will only get worse, monopolies should be broken up they destroy free-markets and build barriers to entry.
* https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20150204/07310329906/yes-m...