Mainstream country is what it is because of mainstream audiences. Believe me, there's a lot of consternation in the industry at where things are going, but it is the music business, not the music hobby after all. I could go on, but suffice to say folks in radio and records wish things were different.
My current non-mainstream faves are Jason Isbell, Sturgill Simpson, and Kacey Musgraves. Isbell's stuff was hit or miss (IMO) before he got sober, but his last two albums were just spectacular. Simpson is on his own weird journey and everything he does is a surprise. Kacey's "Same Trailer, Different Park" was uneven, but she really hit the ball out of the park with "Pageant Material."