Well that’s your choice, but you don’t have to be riled up to claim money that you are due. The system is set up precisely so that people who are owed money can get paid what they are due. If you sign up with a publisher it’s as simple as reporting the airplay to him/her.
Not necessarily. It could have been reasonable, including an advance that the sales had not managed to cover. Or it could have been reasonable, but Warner stuck a load of trumped-up expenditure on the band’s account that they were not in a position to contest. There could have been any number of reasons, we just don’t know.
Again, that’s not how it works. Radio stations do not pay royalties directly to artists. It’s down to the artist to collect from a collection agency - Harry Fox I believe in the USA. There is no need to pound on anyone’s door to be paid royalties. If they are due, claim them and they will be paid.
Correct, Payola is illegal, but it still goes on.