Where did radio go wrong?

OK, so I'm going through one of my major musical revelations again. This one started about a year ago. Since then, it's gained a ton of steam.

I've always loved country, I grew up on artists like Alabama, Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson. When I got into rock & roll later in life, I leaned towards the more bluesy artists like Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Rolling Stones and The Black Crowes. In college, I got back into country, only this time it was older artists, mainly from the Outlaw movement. Now, those loves have driven me into Cosmic American Music, where I've discovered and fallen in love with acts like Drive-By Truckers, Ryan Adams, Uncle Tupelo, Steve Earle, Shooter Jennings, Robert Earl Keen and many others.

Now let's start getting to the point. It is in my findings that the general consensus is that radio fucking sucks now. I agree with this. Somewhere along the way DJs lost the power to play what they wanted, and computers started picking playlists. "Hit" stations started popping up playing anything from Britney Spears to 50 Cent to Kenny Chesney -- whatever was deemed hot at the time. At some point in time, someone decided Nickelback and Fall Out Boy should get airplay.

Why?

Maybe it's been this way forever, but we just don't know it. I mean, there are plenty of older bands that are underrated (MC5 comes to mind), so they must not have gotten the spins they deserved. But other than a few exceptions, it seems like everyone who should be known is.

There are so many artists that the masses have no clue exist; and it's a tragedy because they blow away the bands that dominate airwaves. Now, I know I'm not exactly the first person to notice this. But I've never seen any answer as to why it happened.

At what point did the radio stations stop caring about the quality of music being played? When did the masses get lazy and accept the shallow playlists that consist of the same 20 songs? Did video really kill the radio star?

I know it's easy to blame the major labels and corporations like Clear Channel or Infinity. But again... why?

That's a tough question. One major blame lies on the Telecommunications Act of 1996, which lifted restrictions on the number of stations one company could own. I also blame Disco and the 1980s, which I view as the roots of the superficial music of today.

I've often heard people say Radiohead is one of the most important bands of my generation. Well, why don't the bands on the radio reflect that? Why is the Hollywood Undead getting airplay over The Whigs? Why does Rascal Flatts even exist? And who seriously thinks they're better than Son Volt?

Look at modern music. Country is now just pop with an accent. Rock has been relegated into three and a half minute blocks of no talent punks whining about their feelings. Hip hop is about money, bitches and... well, that's all the studio gangstas can come up with.

Yes, there is great music out there. But why do we have to search for it? Why are forced to go to MySpace or satellite radio? Why can't I simply get in my truck, turn on the radio and hear a Whiskeytown song? Yes, there are ways to discover new music, like Pandora, but why can't commercial radio help us with that?

Maybe that's the wrong question. Maybe I should ask why won't they help us? More importantly, will radio ever be good again?