One option is to cater to your fans, to cultivate a large fan base, and then to offer them a convenient way to support you.
Another option is to cater to the whims of a production company, promote your record with late show appearances, cut into your profits with advertising and middle-man salaries, and then hope that a large faceless audience buys enough DRM-encumbered media to clear your advance.
The point is that it's a better experience all around to have that connection to your fans and to enjoy the fruits of your labor without having to compromise your ideals or give money to a bunch of people who added very little to the creative process. The world is a bit better when there is a direct connection between artists and their fans and when those fans care enough to want their favored artist to make a living and keep being able to focus on the craft.
One option is to cater to your fans, to cultivate a large fan base, and then to offer them a convenient way to support you.
Another option is to cater to the whims of a production company, promote your record with late show appearances, cut into your profits with advertising and middle-man salaries, and then hope that a large faceless audience buys enough DRM-encumbered media to clear your advance.
The point is that it's a better experience all around to have that connection to your fans and to enjoy the fruits of your labor without having to compromise your ideals or give money to a bunch of people who added very little to the creative process. The world is a bit better when there is a direct connection between artists and their fans and when those fans care enough to want their favored artist to make a living and keep being able to focus on the craft.