The idea that the Internet has removed middlemen is a persistent fantasy that has no basis in reality.
All the Internet has done is replace the middlemen. Tower Records is gone, but in its place is Apple, Google, Verizon, Comcast, AT&T, heck even the Pirate Bay.
And in case you hadn't noticed, big record labels are still doing just fine. They might make less on album sales due to piracy, but now they just require a cut of everything else before signing a new band.
All the Internet has done is replace the middlemen. Tower Records is gone, but in its place is Apple, Google, Verizon, Comcast, AT&T, heck even the Pirate Bay.
And in case you hadn't noticed, big record labels are still doing just fine. They might make less on album sales due to piracy, but now they just require a cut of everything else before signing a new band.