There are no more good hit songs

Top 40 is too formulaic, auto-tuned, compressed and gridded to be decent to listen to. Indie is too unstudied, lacking in hooks and musicianship (self indulgence is never good).

If you take a song from the 50's and song from the 80's, they both have hooks and inspired playing. Even a song from the 90's- a grunge tune- inspired playing, hooks.

Modern Top 40 has hooks- they're weak and passably musical. I guess breakout indie acts- the ones that make it on Apple commercials- are probably the closest blend of quality + hooks I can think of. But, those are all one hit wonders. If an Apple commercial is the new "radio", then Apple is the new "gatekeeper" of the music industry. iTunes is great, but at the very top, at that pinnacle, you have an iPad/Pod/Phone slot. That's the "hit" slot. You get 30 seconds.