"Inside business" in arts discussion (record sales, movie grosses, etc.)

A lot of discussions about music or movies on ILX inevitably end up including discussion of the financial performance of said music or movies (see record sales comparisons on Kanye thread, etc.). I understand why this happens and even why it's important; obviously a director is less likely to be able to make another movie if their current movie performs poorly, same with a band and album sales. On the other hand, I have trouble getting interested in these discussions. I realized a long time ago that some music and movies that I enjoy aren't particularly popular with the general public, and I'm ok with that, and there's a feeling of pointlessness/helplessness too; if I like a movie, all I can do is pay to go see it, and it's out of my hands how many other people feel like going to see it (aside from the negligible power of my word of mouth).

Do you find these kinds of discussions useful/interesting?

it works as supporting evidence in certain discussions, but it's not really interesting when it stands on its own.

but it's questionable if these data even work as "supporting evidence" anymore!

yeah they're prob not useful in the same way they once were

its not necessarily 'illuminating' when discussing movies/music/books but it can be interesting in and of itself - like looking at what does & doesnt do well what that means or if it means it anything &c &c