Imagine what the wrecking crew would have made if they got paid per play.
Answering that question would end the argument. The Wrecking Crew preformed the piece in the studio and the "recording artist" got the credit on the album.
What would change in the compensation for Grammy Award winning Milli Vanilli? They didn't even sing the song on stage, much less the album.
The Wrecking Crew documentary:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1185418/
Where Glen Campbell got his start and I believe Brian Wilson used them for Pet Sounds.