Just because it's mainstream doesn't make it bad. If its the pop "crap" that producers churn out to make $, i understand. A lot of the best music is never heard because of the lack of finacial support of the bands. That's why they invented things like Kazaa and Napster, to share a variety of music.
Kids listen to that mainstream crap, because it's what MTV feeds them. I listen to every genre of music, except country. I will say that the only music represented today in the spot light is the crap you're referring to, and it sucks.