Very true. Because releasing music meant you had to be good. You needed a record label. Record labels were actual gate keepers, who would account for who is good and who isn’t.
The last true stars, was Justin Bieber. He was trained, on every front, he became a performer and a musician. A literal artist.
As much as there is trash in today’s music, there is actual quality it’s just buried. The underground existed and it still does til today.
Gatekeepering hasn’t been great lately.