They literally know they're asking YouTube for money that they know doesn't actually exist. Their basis is that Google has money and they'd like it. That's it.

They literally know they're asking YouTube for money that they know doesn't actually exist. Their basis is that Google has money and they'd like it. That's it. https://rocknerd.co.uk/2017/04/03/record-labels-want-money-youtube-doesnt-earn-just-because-google-has-some-and-theyd-like-it/ https://rocknerd.co.uk/2017/04/03/record-labels-want-money-y... It's important to remember that the labels were saying the same things about Spotify last year, before it saved their backsides with 2016's numbers. But with Spotify, they own a chunk of it and have minimum income guarantees, i.e. free money.