Marketing is important, even more so than before in my opinion. Look at artists like One Direction, a group of talented boys but nothing special... then look at the hysteria that surrounds them, Justin Bieber is another good example.
The song "Call Me Maybe" is a perfect example. That song was released almost one year ago, but how many people had heard of it? Maybe a few thousand. Then Carly Rae Jepsen signs to the label ran by Justin Biebers manager earlier this year... now it has over 220,000,000 youtube views and almost everyone that pays attention to popular culture can recite the lyrics.
Marketing is everything. Sure it's not always traditional marketing -- billboards, tv spots -- but using existing artists too. Carly Rae Jepsen is famous because of Justin Biebers marketing power.
If it wasn't for marketing, your friends would not have likely heard of them in order to recommend them to you. Marketing is more than just MTV and radio. That viral YouTube link you sent out was most likely started by someone in the music industry. That indie band? You know of them because someone marketed them.
