The corporate music industry is not evil or good. It's neutral.
It's about business before music. It's like money. It's what you do with it that determines it's value.

Within the framework of the biz some excellent music has been made and continues. But if we want to talk about this, we need to analyze what that means. To say that current pop music is all valueless is overstating the case. Rap and hip hop are not my favorite forms of listening but I do consent to the valuable elements that are there.
Some of the rhythms are subtle, danceable and the lyrics are interesting compared to some of the saccharine pop lyrics of the 40's and 50's. Of course, not all the pop lyrics of the 40's and 50's were saccharine. Some were marvelous. And it's the same today.
There are singers such as Whitney or Celine who are first rate despite the material they are forced into. (Although they are dated today by industry standards). There have been wonderful technological advances in recording due to the corporate biz..innovative producers and engineers. MTV has added a new dimension to music whether you like the music or not. The country music scene is still vibrant although unlike it's former self. There are clever songwriters in the idiom. I don't listen to the radio much but once in a while something catches my attention because it is innovative or has a special quality about it.

In short, the music business has always been what it is today and older folks have always bitched about what younger folks listen to.
But the beat goes on for better or worse.

My two cents.

Frank Hamilton