Most musicians don't get paid for their work or get paid a token amount.
I don't see what the point is in fighting for Taylor Swift's right to make millions from making music if the average person can't make a living.
It's not about quality either. It's about distribution channels.
This is the part that gets completely glossed over when talking about creative output. I’m not convinced that the difference between an artist who commands eight figures in annual revenue and one who commands five figures is a simple matter of talent or dedication to one’s craft. Pop superstars, in particular, are the product of a promotion and distribution machine without which the actual artist would probably enjoy only a small fraction of their reach and popularity.
As with most political slogans, “pay people for their work” is in fact an extremely nuanced idea in practice.
This is a strawman argument. Obviously I would like to see -all- artists get paid a living wage at least for their work. The fact that life isn't fair and TS makes millions isn't my fault, and is not what I'm specifically advocating here.
So no, I don't think it is such of a straw man.
It's not the average musician who is affected by pirates. Spotify will send them $90 / month instead of $100 / month, maybe.