When buying an album, what method should I use to ensure that the majority of the money goes to the artist?

Download the mp3 with SoulSeek, then mail the artist some money. That’s the only way you’re going to penetrate the layer after layer of capitalist parasites that ring each person producing actual useful goods and services in our culture.

Most artists know they are going to make the most profit from live shows going into the business. It’s just part of the job. Some artist put their music on sites where you can pay the artist themselves like bandcamp. Other than those sites and buying merch from the merch guys at shows, you pretty much have to pay the middle man and then donate to the band itself if you want to help them more directly.

Probably by purchasing at an event.

@SmashTheState “Parasite” implies that the party contributes nothing, a trait more often found in socialist systems. Companies like record labels will pipe their affiliated artist’s work through their marketing and distribution networks and otherwise help manage the brand.

You could try buying direct from the artists website, not sure if it would make a difference but its seems closer than going though a major download site or shop.

But directly from an artist who posts their music on YouTube and sells CDs from their own site who doesn’t hacve a recording contract.

This infographic might help you make your purchasing decisions. Basically, as close as you can get to buying from the artist herself, that’s the way to go if you want to put the most money in the artist’s pocket.