I'd say the disconnect is about what a Product is, which is the eternal question on HN and in startups. Music isn't really a product unless you are on the publ

I'd say the disconnect is about what a Product is, which is the eternal question on HN and in startups. Music isn't really a product unless you are on the publishing/licensing side, and even then a license is just an insurance policy against being sued. Spotify and Apple Music sell distribution services, not music. Further, artist compensation on streaming services is so poor that most artists lose more money from inflation against their savings in the time it takes to choose and listen to their album than the platforms pay out for listeners. This is not an economic characteristic of something that is in high demand. It's a different kind of economic good. I agree that music is beautiful and universal. What I'm saying is, a Product is something else, and the business practically depends on musicians not understanding it because it trades in them. Business doesn't run on truth and beauty, it's a trade in desire and money. This is even harder for writers and journalists to accept, but it's the same dynamic.