Who are these musicians directly importuning their friends to contribute? That's never happened to me.

I suspect you're just talking about Facebook notifications and the like. That's not the same as someone sending me and me alone a direct request. Or phoning me up. Or asking face to face.

If you're just talking about people updating their Facebook status to inform people that they're doing kick-starters that's hardly a hard-sell. I think you should stop being so oversensitive. I've never felt remotely obliged to buy anything my friends have made.

If you don't want to buy something ... don't buy it! Simple.

Actually, I once contributed to a kickstarted for someone whose music I don't like. He organises loads of gigs, including several I've played. He's a good guy.

But get this - a kickstarted might even conceivably introduce me to some great music I would never have heard otherwise....