it seems to me that the best artists/groups are not having big hit singles anymore ?....just looking at radiohead's us chart history and they have never cracked the top 30 in america with a single ?...and they are thee critically acclaimed band of the last 20 years.....another example is arcade fire...loved by critics and people within the industry ...just won album of the year at the grammys and the brits but they have never had a hit single...

.

absolutely

that's why the 04-10 era has been the era of "some good albums" and "many so-so/crappy singles"

Because monopolized radio stations won't play their material.

I dont know if i would use Radiohead and Arcade Fire as examples but i understand what you mean tthough. I think bands like those probably wouldnt have HIT singles in any era, maybe one or two, kind of like how Led Zeppelin was rarely in the top 10 with a song but sold tons of albums or Floyd or someone like that, Hendrix etc...i think there has been and always has been "radio friendly songs" but i feel now, even those arent getting on the radio, take a song back in 2004 by Rick Springfield called "Beautiful You" catchiest fucking song ever, got reduced to being an AC top 30 hit, why?? because of his age, the song wasnt "Adult" type, it was guitar oriented, more than the wack ass bands like FallOutBoy were doing, but because he was a certain AGE yes AGEISM is the bigger issue, he couldnt get top40 play, they were too busy playing music for 9 year olds