if you ever take hours making a song, you should only in your whole live be paid $0.008 (spotify's revenue from one listener) and then the song should be made free because that listener copied it?
This is a false dichotomy. Artists can profit well from merchandise, asking for voluntary payments like NIN and Radio head successfully accomplished(earning more than with a record label), creating custom productions for movies/advertisements, and touring.
code a program/website.. and maybe get $8-$50, just once..
Yes, when I script a site or develop code for a company they own the material and I cannot continue to rent seek. My time to create their custom solution is well compensated as a sunk initial cost.
do you honestly think that activision should only get 1 payment of $50 for call of duty... and then the rest of the 7billion people dont have to pay because that single person that bought it, then copied it 7 billion times
There have been some great games crowd funded that have been wildly successful. Companies can also choose to monetize off of merchandising, in game purchases, and advertising as many already do.