In listening to some so-called 'mainstream/chart' music (as I do, but as little as possible...), I often get the impression that most of the players are 'fifth wheels', as there is little real virtuoso in there, what with a drone of a bass, a 'disco'-style 'One-One-One-One' thud from a synthetic bass drum, a cheesy 'hook' line from a keyboard of some kind (or even an arpeggiateur..!) and a robotised, auto-tuned vocoder vocal track (usually heavily harmonised to overbrimming...).
Yes, I'm exaggerating slightly, but there's an awful lot of over-produced sludge out there, and a well-played cowbell is often the high-spot of the whole piece. Mozart has been dead a long time; most modern 'pop' music hammers this home to us on a regular basis. Sad..? Yes, it is. Old..? Yes, I am.