One big difference between now and ‘back then’, is the lack of a shared experience in music or most movies. There are occasional exceptions when America does have a shared experience, pro or con. One of the most recent was when the Clint Eastwood film “American Sniper” came out.
Before, there were only a few big record labels and only a few stations on TV. Now, there are innumerable recordings that are done independently. Someone can have a huge ,loyal following on YouTube and 96% of the general public will have never heard of them.
That goes with TV programs as well. I haven’t owned a TV set since the Clinton Administration.
I was fully into talk radio until very recently, when Cumulus began it’s process of destroying most of talk radio, replacing the big names with infomercials about cooking, finance, vitamins, sports and Spanish language broadcast music shows.
Yes, the lack of shared experience that radio hits provided is a huge difference between then and now. Also the way music is listened to today by most people, on ear buds while doing something else like cleaning, jogging or driving. Everyone will sit and watch a two hour movie, hardly anyone will sit and listen to a 40 minute album.
And there is a great music being made. And it is easy to find, but to certain folks if they don’t hear it on the radio and know it is popular with others then it must be a complete music desert out there.
Freegards