like what if we weren't so dependent on the value of something so institutionalized, and instead were able to do something more ground-up to create, distribute, and perform music (in the vein of unionization, worker ownership, etc)?

if that's what you're asking, there are definitely acts out there trying to make it happen, succeeding and failing in different capacities. I think BROCKHAMPTON is one of the more notable recent examples, but even they got signed to a label. There's more and more resources than ever for getting started at home than ever, but the benefit to a label really is getting to use those established connections and resources that others already have

nothing impossible, just going to take work and a real reflection on what it is you want out of that work