The internet has done a great deal for artists in the entertainment field today. When you can get your image, song, new dance or whatever it is that you do to an unlimited audience, instantly, I see no bad side to it. Not only is the internet a positive, but social networking as well, the financial gain can be immeasurable. You as an artsist have the ability to determine who, what, where, and how your product is introduced to the masses, is control like never before. For instance, people in China can see a perfomance by someone performing at a local county fair immediately as it is happening, and can be shown to anyone interested with the click of a button. Sure some artists take  hit by the music sharing web sites, but if you take the time and have the right people and plan in place it can be very lucrative for you as a performer. As a performer you have the ability to put your music out there either one song at a time or release the whole album all at once. The power has shifted from the record label to the artist in an ultimate paradigm shift. To me, the financial gain by the atrist i at an all time high. The record company are the ones scrambling around to try and find ways to regin some of the power. The artist is now in control like they only dreamed of before in the past. Some people like Kid Rock literally sold cd's from the trunk of his car before and after concerts and make a killing doing so. He reportedly sold 2 million albums before the label he is currently with signed him to a deal. In essance, he was self made before any music executive ever even heard his name or knew who he was. Justin Beiber is another one, who along with You Tube, made him an overnight sensation. Granted, he put in the work to get where he is but the accessability he had and the audience he was able to reach made the record label take not and kind of forced their hand. Today I think that the positives tht are out there with the internet and various social networking has given the atrist the control to stipulate to the companies their side of things and they have to honor and respect their individual demands because it is kind of like jump on board before the train leaves the station. The labels want to make what they can off the atrist and if they miss the train, the potential of losing out on millions of dollars leaves with it..  http://www.mtv.com/  http://www.vh1.com/