You also have to remember that Google has been switching their search tools over to AI search tools and the results have degraded as a result.
Even before then, there was manipulation of the search algorithm by content creators, even on the YouTube side.
It's probably a combination of all factors tbh.
- Google is slowly pushing on the scale of authoritarianism.
- Search changes being a degradation in results.
- Search algo manipulation.
- Google intentionally showing divisive content due to the higher revenue opportunities
- And the sheer breadth of right wing grift content.
Thankfully, I don't use Tidal for music discovery. I luckily have a lot of people I've met over the years that love music, perform themselves, work for venues, or are crew for artists. That plus indie radio like KEXP and NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts has kept me exploring for new music via recommendations from those areas.
I use Tidal for high fidelity music with a more acceptable artist payout than Spotify.
That said, I'm slowly working towards going back to the old days where my massive CD collection rips (i still have those binders too), direct purchases of high fidelity content sitting on my network share, and records aremy primary source of listening pleasure. The only problem here is acquiring the hardware to scale thanks to the AI boom buying up all the production lines of consumer grade hardware, and business class storage drives having gone up in cost. Technically I can afford it, but I could also spend that same money and buy tickets to several local shows for both my wife and I, which will support the live music industry and artists more directly.