Hmmm, this is a difficult subject, and I wonder if there really is one answer. I think both routes are valid - if you do it right. There are people out there that make money off of their own music that they publish themselves. Toby Turner is one example - technically he is a viral video marketer, but he often writes music on his own and publishes it on his youtube page. For a guy that has over 1 million subscribers, he makes money through the youtube partner program (which is actually revenue sharing from people clicking on ads placed on the video page. Not directly through the music but the music draws people to the page.) and his music is also available on Itunes. You can also buy t shirts form him, featuring something from a song he wrote (like his "Safety Torch" shirts or "I'm A Bird" shirts.)
