Another crazy idea: what if a streaming service offered new musicians 80% of a per stream revenue, disintermediating the record companies completely How would the big record companies fight back? Would they participate or ban their music?
How much would YOU pay per track streamed? Per album downloaded?
Good question, but very dependent on the track. Lets say it's track of a legendary live show I attended I'd probably pay a few bucks for it. If it's a studio version of same track maybe .50 cents, if it's an unknown artist zero until I've heard em.
What's a "new musician" ? If you mean an artist that doesn't have a recording contract or someone who has never sold a song outside of maybe there self promoted cd's at there local bar gig, I don't see how we would ever find them ? Promoting an artist takes time & money that's where the record company's come in. In the past they could offer an artist studio time, album promotion, concert promotion & front money to live on, gamboling on that artist. How all that works in todays world I have no idea.
The music businesses is tough very tough, in most cases you have to be an ace to make a living at it people won't pay for Ok or mediocre music. I kind of get a feeling that in today's social media, justice by mob mentality a lot of just OK/mediocre musicians want a bigger piece of the pie than they ever could have prior to the internet.
40 years ago a lousy carpenter,plumber, doctor,lawyer,engineer ect. could all make a living at there trade (& that holds true today). But a lousy singer couldn't even gig with a local bar band. Today a lousy singer can self record, self promote & maybe find a small audience, get a few thousand of em together saying "it ain't fair" doesn't mean they deserve something.
Sorry for the half-baked rambling on the music biz. FWIW It's coming from an old guy who played alongside of some good singers & players who barley scraped by & almost all them had day jobs to make ends meet. Haven't been anywhere near the music biz. in 30 years & have no clue on what is fair & equatable in today's world.