The true dark side of merit based pay is it promotes cheating. It's why California canceled a program to give $25,000 bonuses to the best teachers -- many teachers were caught altering student tests to improve grades. There was a lot of concern that bonuses were going to the teachers that were the best at cheating, not the best at teaching. If you create an incentive based on an outcome, you should be aware of all possible methods.

The big names are on The Pirate Bay because they're well known - and the internet makes it easier for new artists to become well known by removing the previous barriers of entry small bands once had to go through to be broadcast to the general public. You have to find a better way to sell yourself. Magnatunes is an example of independent artists jumping over those barriers of entry to make their music available to the world at large.