[adamq_q]

Apple and Google have large enough platforms where if they publicized a "direct-to-artist" payment system, you could see it getting a lot of use.

Something like that would obviously not be healthy for their relationship with the record labels and would never happen. But you need a large enough platform to make a difference. What about Facebook?

[flyinRyan]

Facebook won't be any good because the labels can just bribe them to turn you in after you use their system to download a song.