Sound Quality Vs. Convenience?

Joseph Plambeck writes an interesting article in the May 9th New York Times about the idea that the current technological age hasn't done much to support sound quality in music.  He touches on a few pretty key points:


 - Major advances have taken place in recent years to improve the fan experience in most media formats except music.  No doubt digital music has completely broken the music industry wide open, but whereas TV's, Blue Ray, home theater, etc. has revolutionized the movie experience as it relates to quality, digital music has merely made listening to music more convenient.


 - Portability has transformed the music listening experience.  Do people listen - actually listen to music as an experience in and of itself anymore.  I do, but is it common?


 - Music has increasing become more song focused rather than artist or album focused. I don't feel it's necessarily a bad thing...

With the rise of digital music, fans listen to fewer albums straight through. Instead, they move from one artist’s song to another’s. Pop artists and their labels, meanwhile, shudder at the prospect of having their song seem quieter than the previous song on a fan’s playlist.

... unless the music is recorded at volume and compression levels that detract from the art.  Music is still art, no?