Art has, for thousands of years, flourished under a system of patronage. Sometimes patrons really wanted art, sometimes they it was just a selfish indulgence, but unless they were commissioning something specific the art was generally left to its own devices. I could see Soundcloud thriving under such a system.<p>And how much of this money lost was due to technological vs. human costs? How is it that a streaming site needs nearly 200 employees anyway?<p>Soundcloud could be thriving, but then they seem to have put people at the helm who prioritize spending money above all else.