this post was submitted on 21 Oct 2024
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The money is going to the 11 people who are actually desirably good at those things as well as the networks of people / businesses / etc who support them. Make no mistake, there is bloat there and people who are undeserving but still.
You can't control what people like, or how good others are at doing the thing people like. Consider the lines of people who try out for American Idol or so you think you can dance, or everyone you know who has ever been on a garage band. Basically none of them makes it big. People like things that are exceptional, and will not pay the same price for something your friend Clancy is "really good at" or "really likes to do".
Edit: Unless you mean "produce" like the actual printing firm that makes and distributes books famous people write, in which case it just seems like a job: I don't know that anyone gets rich or starves doing that.
It's less "controlling what people like" (which, I'd argue, billions in marketing suggests you absolutely can do) and more "controlling who gets paid for the work" (which, I'd argue, labor unions and labor laws suggest you can also absolutely do).
People like things that are accessible and mass media allows large numbers of people to access a handful of cartelized venues. But go and watch the various American Idol knock-offs, and you'll find plenty of untalented people on the stage. Half the show is about the heels and how far they can get by schmoozing and scheming before they're knocked out by more mainstream talent. But its as much about the spectacle as it is about any actual talent.
Meanwhile, local musicians can and do command large audiences and full venues, particularly in cities known for cultivating talent. The trick is in having these venues to perform at and running them efficiently. When small venues get starved for revenue during downturns or crises (COVID, the '08 crash, Hurricane Katrina, etc), that's what kills a community scene. When rents skyrocket and drive community venues out of business, that's what costs a town its local venues. It isn't locals suddenly all forgetting how to perform year to year.