Super interesting to see this. I've been predicting a similar thing, though from a very different "angle". I grew up gigging, touring, and recording in the "original" music scene (i.e., not cover bands), back in the late-80s and 90s. At that time, the major labels had grown into veritable King-makers, and in so doing had turned the entire music industry upside down. Bands were focusing on pleasing "A&R guys", and only vicariously addressing their actual audiences, as everyone tried desperately to "get signed" because it was (perceived to be) the only way to have any kind of future as an artist. It was obviously unsustainable. And what happened? The Indie music scene.

Things feel eerily similar in the startup world today.