Well, with seven billion people on the planet and a good chunk of them musically-inclined, and some of those musically-inclined people occasionally moseying into a recording studio or in possession of a mic, it's no wonder that a lot of people's playlists are culled from names which mean nothing to most people. But as Momus said about what Andy Warhol said, everyone's famous for fifteen people.
That said, I don't see much obscurantism looking through the last Soundtracks thread. The running conversation seems to be on a Pet Shop Boys album. I doubt anyone's randomly listening to anything. You know how it works: you're into a band, you look into their record label, their compadres, their influences, off-shoots, soundalikes, other acts name-checked in reviews etc. You may find yourself in the hinterlands before too long, but the record industry's mostly a crapshoot so there are as many gems to be found out there as in the canon. More, even, just by dint of sheer numbers.
In terms of new ultra-popular music, I kinda liked the new Kanye West album Yeezus somewhat. Sounded kinda like Dalek at some points- definitely had several industrial influences. Janelle Monae's still got it. There was a leaked album this year by English hypnagogic cracked synth-drenched RnB'er Jai Paul that I loved. And digging two new neon J-Pop releases by Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and Momoiro Clover Z.
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