Pay for Music??

There are so many obstacles faced for a musician writing their own songs in these incredible technological times. Its the easiest thing in the world to get a song recorded, uploaded to a million sites that'll gladly take your money for hosting a teeny weeny mp3 (ee)..( after you've spent hundreds if not thousands of pounds in decent home recording gear, written your fab new songs,and gone through artistic turmoil..wipes forehead in mock thespian agony..) then you just sit back and wait for the world to find you right? Of course not..we all know that the power of the internet has changed our lives forever..but the chances of your website actually being found in the beginning of its life ..How many grains of sand on Blackpool beach?
I mentioned its the easiest thing in the world to upload songs to the world..I was interested in how many people actually DO pay for a legally purchased mp3? I read an astonishing fact..that 95% of all music downloaded globally last year was not paid for..either because the artist gives the music away free, or of course illegal downloading though peer to peer file sharing sites, linking ipods together through friends etc etc.
The concept of giving away music free to gain more fans( then making money elsewhere through extensive touring and merchandising) is fine if you're Radiohead or U bloody 2 or something..but for the small indie musician who values his work monetarily, surely giving away your music in exchange for a T-shirt..well shouldn't you be in the clothing business and not the music business?
After weeks of extensive research it's apparent that the internet has not only blown the doors wide open for potential exposure to millions ( if you follow the many thousands of online tips, headache inducing 'new' business models ..even NASA would struggle with them...) but it has also closed the doors to the notion that an indie musician producing decent work can actually sell more than a handful.
In all my recent years of uploading original songs in various projects, i must have had over 4,000 downloads..OK, i dont promote them as much as i should but its still not bad...and yep..I've never actually had one person pay for them! People do appear to want the odd CD now and then, which is good, but sadly it appears that not only is the music industry completely knackered at the very highest level, but music is largely viewed now by consumers ( Any REAL fans out there anymore?) as disposable instant must have NOW commodity..and yes it has to be free. I guess thats why Simon Cowell has to be given a lot of respect..the stuff his companies produce and feed to the masses is, in my little opinion, throwaway culturally valueless....'Shit' is a good word...but by God he knows how to market and grab the money and run as he dumps his equally disposable 'artists'..( term used lightly).
It says something also that of the thousands of people who liked a song of mine to download ( there ARE stats for these things you know!).. not one has ever got in touch by email just to say 'nice song mate!'...
Its a shame..but i for one accept that not only am i not ever going to make it big, whatever that means, with any future original songs, but its highly unlikely i'll ever even see a penny for my labours of love..
To all those who say..tough crap my friend, go and find another hobby..(and give me my FREE songs now!)..i'd say this..I value my songs and the effort it takes to write, record and try and promote them..i value the money i've paid to go and record them.. but most of all i value just being able to do it, and will continue until i have to sell my geetars to take my daughter off the drip..
I cannot be bothered to rake through the plethora of websites selling you books on how to promote music online,how the world needs this model, that model, innovations that come out of your arse all day long...and so quite rightly i'm not commited or deserve to try the idea of setting up a bona fide record label.This is a dream of mine i was hopefully going to fulfill in the new year..
 Full respect to thoe who still want to bring music to the world and have the enthusiasm and youth and vitality to do so..I hope you got bink bank accounts!
This is quite a time to be a musician. I hope theres still enough around in 5 years to give good music to the world.