[greatwave1]

> It means dumbed down to the lowest common denominator.

It literally doesn't though. Like, that's not the meaning of the word "commercial" in any sense.

Your favorite indie band is commercial. Your friends who charge $5 for their shows are commercial.

Your issues aren't with "commercial" musicians, they're with musicians who prioritize commercial success over artistic expression.

I don't think is a new phenomenon, and actually think it's a lot less prevalent now than it was in the past. With free streaming services, most people have easy exposure to a much wider range of music, and aren't relying on the radio to dictate their tastes.

There have been dozens of albums from the last few years that have had huge commercial success, and also taken big artistic risks. Happy to provide a list of recommendations if you're having trouble finding good new music.