[tmtvl]

Even with musicians it can be tricky. Imagine an album with various classical pieces performed by different orchestras. Not only are there the conductors and the musicians of the orchestras, but the album also wouldn't have existed without the sound engineers and recording crews and the composers...

Even authors are dependent on their editors, so the idea of 'giving money to the people who create the things we like' is more complex than it may seem at first glance.

[anonymars]

Yeah, but do all those people get residuals? When you buy a real copy, who gets money from that?

[port11]

Not sure about music, but I’ve dated an author and her contract was for 10% royalties, and she had to arrange any payments to other rights-holders (e.g. photographer) but not the editor.