You're not wrong. Adults have an ability to discern crap from talent. Children don't know the difference, and will buy what's pushed at them. This is very different from the 1940s, 1950s, where a record (and phonograph, speakers, amplifier) was expensive and music was primarily purchased by adults. The demographic shift is rather profound -- where the average age used to be in the high 30s/low 40s, to today, where it is teenagers.

I don't agree that pop music is becoming more vanilla and less offensive. In fact I think it's demonstrably quite the opposite -- much more vulgar and crude. Just a few moments spent with modern "music videos" should dispel any notion of bland, inoffensive art.