Are you in the entertainment business or the music business?
Some of us are in the entertainment business.
(Interscope, Madonna).
Some of us are in the music business.
(Rick Rubin, Asthmatic Kitty).
One is not inherently "better" than the other. But it's important to consider which business you want to be in. Your answer will determine which path you want to take and where to put your resources.
So, what business are you in?