Originally Posted by ElephantSack

If we're talking 30K after all travel expenses and such are taken out, I'd be happy to make 30K a year and do what I love. With the potential for endorsements and sponsorships and with the costs of travel and living on the road, 30K is more than enough for my personal living expenses for a year. Nothing to raise a kid on or anything, but I'm not looking to do that for a long time, if ever.

The superstars that turned their commodity into a cash cow either had it in mind to begin with, or got lucky and got smart enough to capitalize off of mass marketing. But such things usually involve pandering and artistic compromise. I respect more the artists who remain artists primarily and look to make a buck off of it second, not the other way around. Music is an art and a business, but I respect the artist more than the businessman.