There are no bands or singers who become successful without overwhelming marketing. There are no surprise success stories. Everything is stringently controlled, obvious and predictable and has exactly the same content. So, we are now in the era of marketed pop stars, which means that the labels fully control the charts, and consequently the public has lost interest. It’s very rare that a record label does something for the good of music. Thus we are force-fed such as Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith, which at least means that things can’t possibly get any worse. It is sad, though. There’s no spontaneity now, and it all seems to be unsalvageable.
Not with indie labels and artists doing just fine with their own sound and vision. There is no room for complaining when you don't have to listen to radio or watch TV. You choose the music you want to listen to/buy/go to concerts.
Of course everything for the mass-market will be overproduced, perfected and controlled. It's a BUSINESS.
