Made this comment on the blog too: Please don't take this personally, but you're not thinking clearly about this. Allow me to explain: First, it's important t

Made this comment on the blog too: Please don't take this personally, but you're not thinking clearly about this. Allow me to explain: First, it's important to realize that value is created through partnership. Basically, the net value of the two products when coupled can be greater than the sum of the two individually. For this reason, you shouldn't imply that profits from your partner imply that those profits subtracted from your profits -- it's quite likely you have both made more together than either of you would have made without the other. Consider a Mall. The mall operator can charge more for rent in the mall than it could for an equivalent store in isolation because there is value of bringing consumers together. The store owners make more money as a result of partnering with each other and a portion of those profits goes back to the partner because the two have collectively decided that it is a better strategy than for the mall owner to charge an entrance fee to visitors. Second, it's incorrect to compare the success of any one band or even a sample of bands to the success of myspace, google, etc. Rather you have to compare the success of the two industries collectively. As users become exposed to a greater variety of music and musicians, they will become more selective in their tastes. So some bands who are truly exceptional will be vaulted to success by this plethora of users and their use of social tools to communicate with each other. And more mediocre bands who used to be able to eek out a modest living will no longer because users find more awesome bands than they used to (and have a fixed amount of attention to give). The fact is, there have never before been so many awesome bands heard by so many people and it has never been _easier_ to get into the business than it is right now. So while it seems that you're band might not be one of the best in the world that succeeded, you need to realize that you at least got the same shot as everyone else and a better chance at success than you would have had 20 years ago.