Music labels have always sold what is popular, they don't care whether it's good or not, they're a business. For a while, they were quite good at it, but then they started to suck at it and then the money dried up. Now all they have left is investing in "sure bets". Filesharing simply accelerated that process and showed the underlying error more quickly.
Look - Art is hard. For a little while, there was a lot of money in music. Droves of indie musicians missed that train and now they're jealous of the success of youngsters that you really shouldn't envy for a nanosecond. It's particularly sorry that they blame their fans for it.
The reality is: Their music is only good enough for a little filesharing. And that's why they don't get signed.
Most "good" musicians who are also reasonably popular have worked their asses off day and night for decades. Success in art is about getting the privilege to translate your innermost into something that can be shared and then seeing it resonate with people so much that they want to share it forward. Translating your innermost into art that resonates with people is frigging hard and takes years and years. Having it resonate with more and more people so you build momentum takes years and years again. Either you're with that, or don't go down that road.
There is no manna raining from the sky and there is very definitely no guarantee for manna raining from the sky that is unfortunately wasted on those you think don't deserve it. That's petty and self destructive (hey, indie musicians).
If you think you deserve something, but somebody else who doesn't deserve it gets it, you have a lot of soul searching to do. Especially if you're that bitter in your early twenties.
As Stephen Fry said: Self Pity (as a superset of hate) will destroy everything except itself.
This is because how piracy changes the behavior of consumers toward searching for music rather than selecting from within a walled garden created by the major labels and distributors. The ability to experience being the "next big thing" along with the attendant fame and fortune, is what motivated many bands to get together and play and this is now available to more people than ever. These days the "next big thing" is starting to show signs of catching on when its music is pirated and all over BitTorrent. An incredible number of people can now have concert and T-shirt sales to support themselves or supplement some other income. More than ever can now play their music while putting food on the table. To most musicians, a "major label" isn't the only way to make a living with your music.
It also brings the quality of music down of the major labels who, hilariously, resort to "sure bets" like Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, or Justin Bieber. If the major labels keep this up either they'll lose their jobs, or change their economics in a way that incentives consumers to patronize them. Most can't achieve the critical mass that they used to and so most people's conception of what music is is no longer disproportionately influenced by the formulaic "sure bet" acts.
So support your local musicians. Search out new music. Go see them. Have fun.
A "Big Break" has never been attainable for the average musician. Small income streams are more attainable now where once there was nothing, and ultra-fame is elusive as ever. Nothing real has changed.
Most start ups that get funding are websites and apps. How many medical electronics, water supply, waste management etc and software of real world value get funding?
Investors are going to put their money in places where they think they would get quick returns. Not the ones that are good for the world.
And this is not that difficult to understand.
This is because piracy changes the economics of how the major labels behave. Before, major labels used to take risks on what they thought might be the "next big thing" in order to reap the profits when it does turn out to be popular -- and landing a major label contract, and the attendant fame and fortune, is what motivated many bands to get together and play. These days, however, if the "next big thing" is starting to show signs of catching on, that probably means its music is already pirated and all over BitTorrent, and that's like Kryptonite to a major label. So they don't sign that cool new band and the band has to make do with concert and T-shirt sales and word-of-mouth. And that may mean having to choose between your music and putting food on the table. To most musicians, your "big break" is how you make a living with your music.
It also brings the quality of music down, as now the major labels will only invest in "sure bets" like Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift, or Justin Bieber. The ones that don't get signed to major labels either take nine-to-five jobs and stop playing, or are so in love with their music that they don't mind being penniless hipsters. Most can't achieve the critical mass it takes to build a large fan base, so most people's conception of what music is is disproportionately influenced by the formulaic "sure bet" acts.
So support your local musicians. Support DRM.