Based on the linked YouTube video, is the OP inferring that the decline in Pop music quality has resulted in there being less audiophiles? If so, it is a lame assertion. Speaking of which, why is this thread in the Nuprime forum anyways?
That aside, I would argue with many of the points in the referenced video:
Re: Millenial Whoop & complex instrumentation- 3 chord songs have always been a mainstay in pop music. What about blues music? Some great stripped-down songs are powerful & grab you by the throat.
Compression-related issues & limitations had their place back in the 60’s too. Music was toned way down due to the limits of transistor radios & cheap stereos. Then there was 8 tracks & cassettes after that.
As far as “quality” goes … for every “Day in the Life” or “Like a Rolling Stone”, there were a plethora of “Yummy, Yummy, Yummy” or “Sugar, Sugar” type songs. To compare songs of Dylan, Beatles, etc. with Justin Bieber, etc. is a ridiculously lazy exercise. It’s like comparing “The Graduate” to “The Emoji Movie”. What’s the point? There are best of/ worst of for every year, decade, etc..
The brainwashing point was legit, but it also applied to buying an album. Repeated listenings of the same songs after you plucked down hard earned cash was also a reason to like something in spite of early impressions.
As far as the actual thread title re: less audiophiles …
Entertainment choices are so much more extensive AND accessible than they were back in the 50’s- 60’s (where back in the day … to see a movie, you had to go to the theater, there were 3 channels on TV, radio/ albums/ reel-to-reel were only music sources outside of live performances.