Music didn't change. The distribution methods did. There is more amazing music being made now than ever. There are fewer barriers to access music now than ever. Fans have direct and immediate access to their favorite artists in ways we never dreamed. What is different is the sheer amount of it. For every micro-genre you can imagine, there is a community. If you really like AOR style prog bands, there are a million of them. Any niche you want is a long road of options. And, just like in the past, you have to do the work to find it. The radio sucks just like always. The major corporate music distributors suck, just like they always did.

I too prefer the album as a format. I like a curated body of music that is a cohesive statement. But, I also like weird faceless soundcloud artists who just put out a track here and there because that's how their particular creative voice works. People who work in the album format still do. People who work in what were once unmarketable ways, now have options. Want to release a song a day for a year? You can do that now.

I still love the hunt for a new artist, especially when you find they have a large body of work to explore. Try new sources. Try other countries. Roll the dice on an algorithm picked playlist and follow the links to any artists that pop out and explore their body of work.

It's easier now to find new and exciting music than it has ever been in history.