Forbes: The indirect spoils of streaming can be even greater. Abel "the Weeknd" Tesfaye parlayed his play count--5.5 billion streams in the past two years--into an estimated $75 million touring advance. To him it's all part of the model he's been following throughout his rapid rise, one that applies to all sorts of businesses: Create an excellent product, make it widely available and flip the monetization switch when the timing is right.