The RIAA/MPAA are not companies. They are trade associations that represent a small number of admittedly large companies. It's also flatly incorrect to say tha

The RIAA/MPAA are not companies. They are trade associations that represent a small number of admittedly large companies. It's also flatly incorrect to say that the "overwhelming majority of artists who work with these companies have seperate day jobs." I assure you, nearly every name you see on every credit roll on every film or television program produced by these studios is that of a professional, not a part timer. For one thing, 12-14 hour days and 5-6 day weeks are the norm. There's no time for a second job even if people wanted one. Yes, there are lots of people who hustle while trying to break in, but that's a different story. As with any job highly dependent on specialized skills, producers want to work with people who work constantly because those are the people who have got the sharpest abilities. Frankly, there's too much money on the line to take chances on amatuers. I can't speak to the realities of the record business, since I don't know it first hand. But given what I do know, I can safely say that (a) you don't really know what you're talking about and (b) what you think you know is demonstrably wrong. You're entitled to your opinion, of course. I just don't want anyone reading this to make the mistake of thinking that your opinions are the product of careful thought or a firm grasp of basic facts because they just aren't.