i havent read this whole thread, i eventually will but sorry if someone already mentioned this, this popped into my head today, the way i see it, artists who are signed to labels are paid/given money to create more music, at that point it becomes more a responsibility, not just to the company to who you are contractually obligated to, but to fans of the genre to whcih you supposedly make music good enough to be sold and purchased.
it is therefore my firm belief that obtaining a contract with a label obligates you to stick to the core ideals of the genre for which you are signed for. thats why it somewhat frustrates me, to hear music that supposedly is IDM these days, that sounds not any better than shit that was being made 10-15 years ago. if you told me 15 years ago that "cutting edge music" (which is arguably what IDM is all about) would sound like today's IDM, with a few exceptions, i would be heavily disappointed. and quite honestly, i am very disappointed by what i hear people producing these days, that are being paid to do it, and taking ppl's money for it. i feel like society as a whole is being deprived and ripped off by fake, half assed culture and music.