Well it's a business model most artist used for centuries before recording and mass production was possible. Busking is still using it to this day.

I find nothing gross in it, it's actually better in many ways because you have immediate feedback so you can develop quicker (whether you want to develop in a particular direction your current audience wants is another matter).

maybe this wasn't clear, but I was referring to a live performer with "music streams". donating to make a song request doesn't have that gross feel. it's mainly the paying just to have your comment read that seems weird to me. in the first case you're paying for a performance; in the second, you are basically just paying for a human's attention.

Do you get the same impression from, say, paying for VIP tickets in order to meet-and-greet musicians at a concert?

I get the same "ick" vibes from streamers reading comments too. (FWIW, I don't feel the same way about concerts or VIP tickets).

This may not be a great explanation, but there's an element of "dance, monkey, dance!" when someone pays money to a streamer to say their message. The streamer will usually read the message (barring ToS).

It's similar to how tipping at Cold Stone Creamery (an ice cream chain in the US) means the staff have to sing a short song for you. There might be fun intentions involved but if the people who you are giving money to aren't really into it, it feels wrong.

People do that?

> in the second, you are basically just paying for a human's attention.

Or for having your question answered?

Isn't that the essential essence of all live entertainment events? Tossing money at people to entertain you? What's the difference between that and a concert: that you prepaid the concert ahead of time?

I see the value in subscribing to streamers, especially if you watch them as much as you'd watch Netflix, but there's no expectation of direct interaction at a concert. As booming of a business model as it is, very few streamers will talk about how they actively exploit their audience into thinking they're your friend. These parasocial relationships are unfortunately a sign of the times and how lonely and isolated individuals have become in the age of the Internet (the pandemic has only worsened this).