Music, entertainment, and branding cannot be separated in the mainstream. Let me put it this way - a large reason I listen to The Weeknd is because of the interesting lifestyle and excess that he portrays through his branding, his music videos, and his whole persona/vibe. It's never just about the music, which is why you see a ton of amazingly talented SoundCloud producers that no one has ever heard of. They understa…
That's true only for a selection of music, even if its a large part.
I personally don't care. I just want to listen to something that sounds good.