Bad music is always bad regardless of age.
The Kingsmen's "Louie Louie", for example. It has an okay beat, but the lyrics are practically indecipherable and the vocals are obnoxious and childish. This was recorded in the 60's!
Because, for Top 40 Pop and Hip Hop, much of it is either too profane to air, or too derivative and repetitive.
I agree with this.
I grew up listening to my mother singing and writing folk songs, but a lot of people aren't, and when they hear that stuff, my observation is that they're impressed and really like it, some to the point that they want to hear more.
About 10 years ago she decided to go to SF's Fisherman's Wharf with her music to have a good time. I tagged along to help with the equipment, so I sat and watched the crowds go by. You know who was most intrigued and fascinated by her music? People in the 20-35 range, which surprised me, because I expected them to be mostly indifferent to it (I don't remember who the biggest stars were back then, but I do remember that Taylor Swift was still a relatively unknown country singer-songwriter who had only just then began to cross over).
So, perhaps it isn't the radio industry that's the problem so much as it's the Top 40 Pop/Hip Hop song factories that are, in my opinion, misreading a relatively small but important chunk of the audience and keep pumping out songs that none of them want. If they could produce stuff that a majority of people like that the radio can actually play without violating FCC rules and regulations, maybe radio could slow down listeners' migration to streaming.
I'm a novice here and I don't know or understand fully how all this works, so take this with an appropriately sized grain of salt.
c