Square acquired Tidal music to tackle this problem with musicians, who currently get most of their revenue from merchandise and tours, not ad revenue.

One question Royal raises is what happens if every song has its own stans who benefit financially the more it is played.

The same Internet that allows Netflix to help a small number of cinephiles discover an obscure documentary might also allow that filmmaker to be in touch with these same people directly, perhaps converting what Kelly termed “Lesser Fans” into “True Fans,” defined as those “who will purchase anything and everything you produce,” who “will drive 200 ... See more