I agree wholeheartedly that artists should get a bigger percentage of "the cut" however I'm having a difficult time with most other aspects of this thread.
1. Companies can charge whatever they want for their product. If it only costs $0.00000000001 to make and they can sell it for $1,000,000.00 who are we to say they're charging to much? If we think they're charging too much, we don't buy it. Period. We as consumers should not be dictating what something is priced at but just decide whether it's worth the money or not.
Certain things that can only be derrived from 1 main source (ie. electricity, water, sewer, etc.) are regulated under monopoly and anti-trust regulations and so are not included in the above. But let's face it folks, there is more than 1 company to purchase personal music players and to buy downloadable software.
Apple made the iPod that only works with iTunes and IIRC you can only get the music from their site. They (the iPod) cost more to boot. Why do people buy them? I don't know and actually the reason is irrelevant to this arguement. Regardless, people do buy them because they think they're worth the money. Actually, that's the only reason people buy anything that is a 'discretionary' purchase.
So my point is that using a 'what it costs' arguement to justify 'what is the price' IMO is totally irrelevant and a waste of good thought processes.
2. The artists get ripped off by the production companies.
Hey, don't sign the contract then. Put up your own money to promote, market, master, produce, etc. your own album / single / mp3 / whatever. Develop your own independent label. Definitely not easy and not cheap to do those things. I think a lot of people forget that the production companies take *all* the risk so IMO should get all the reward. Nobody twists anybody's arm (anymore anyways) to sign a recording contract.
The fact of the matter is that record producers make money on a very small percentage of recording artists they sign. A few they make a lot of money from but they are very few. Many of the big ones have their own label so maybe you ought to start putting some of this arguement onto the artists themselves. When was the last time a group with their own label lowered thier prices?
These points have nothing to do with the piracy issue but all to do with some misconceptions about big business.
Big biz always is out to screw the little guy. I don't believe that 'cause there is always 'little guys' out there crying "foul". Just like a car race when the winner's car get's torn down to pieces to see if he's cheating. They never care about the last place car only the first place car.
Bottom line is that we all have a choice in these matters. We can choose *not* to purchase those things we think are unfair / overpriced / socially irresponsible / etc. Apparently too many people have not chosen that option.
(I do not work nor have any affiliations with any recording industry companies whatsoever.
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Just IMO...