Re:Still sucks for artists. (Score 1)

Stop thinking of record companies as an entity that produces a product that is purchased. A record company is basically a bank that provides very high risk loans. The number one expense for making a record isn't production, it is promotion. All the legal and illegal forms of payola, music videos, print, retail and radio promotion takes lots and lots of cash. Sometimes the loans payback dividends, but, 90% of the time, the gamble fails and the loans are in default. As such, the terms of the loan are rather draconian. The artist is free to reject the terms of the deal. No one holds a gun to their head to sign.