<i>>and streaming royalties</i><p>Stopping the author here. Streaming royalties are fine. Labels keeping 80% of those streaming royalties due to exploitative record deals is the problem. Furthermore, playing live gigs and selling merchandise has <i>always</i> been how artists earn their money unless they're one of the superstar artists who are too big for the label to let go.<p>Streaming services pay more than radio and have better statistics to track how many people actually heard/listened to the song. Streaming services can help promote CD sales or influence merchandise sales.<p>Furthermore - I'd place a large wager that streaming has <i>lessened</i> piracy. It has made music easier to obtain and listen to on-demand and you don't need to go to some shady site (for those unaware of private trackers, which is most people) to download the album.<p>#1) Few people ever cared.<p><i>>maven class that infuses the culture with informed enthusiasm</i><p>To most people, this is a nice way of saying "pretentious asshole who won't shut up that they can name any minor detail about an album".<p>#2) I can agree with this point. But the value of radio in general has gone down with on-demand/XM, being able to play an iPod in the car, etc. Why do I need a radio station to help me find new music when I can use Spotify's "similar to [___]" feature?<p>#3) This is a problem with media as a whole. For most places it's about views, clicks, and ad impressions now and that means trendy/viral/pop. Not covering some obscure up-and-coming Jazz artist.<p>#4) No. That's because of hipsters and music snobs who believe in special copper wiring. This seems to be a case for analog vs digital ; because there are music players that aren't <i>media</i> players. They're just less popular because people would rather have a program that does both.<p>#5) Look harder. I like the picture of ICP. Staying in the same genre, would you say Aesop Rock is anti-intellectual? The thing is people listen to music for entertainment. Not to think critically about things or have to decode metaphors to understand what is being said.<p>#6) I didn't follow the point being made.<p>#7) Citation needed. I've always been huge on music, I avoid concerts at all costs. Also define "serious" concerts. Do you mean classical? Methinks the author has a huge Jazz/Classical bias here.<p>Closing paragraphs: Define "serious music". I'm thinking you mean Jazz/Classical?<p><i>>Complex instrumental music has become marginalized to within an inch of its very existence</i><p>That's because most people find it boring. Next you'll be telling me people are reading less!