What a sad world we now live in.......

blindjim.....If that's the first chapter of a book you're trying to write......let us pray.
I believe the original concern of the OP was how limited the purchase options are for those shopping in the most popular big box stores.
Your opinions aren't without value but not to the point!

"I don’t think Walmart customers were ever exactly the most music-loving people around. Or perhaps it is that they, like myself, are just not interested in the music that is currently most popular."

I would bet that many, if not majority, of the Kenny Chesney and Garth Brooks CDs were bought at Walmart.

I might lose the bet, but I would be willing to bet that I would not lose it.

Cd was nice ,just like records personally digital like Jplays new Femto  which is 
excellent digital sounding playback the best to date. I have a JRivers 25 ,
land I downloaded the trial it is he best . Cd just borrow or buy just to rip wav or
Flac files to my Solid state drives. I donot miss have to play CDs one at time one bit ,they are inferior in every way and  just cumbersome when I can just click non my app and play in any order or cd I choose. Digital now sounds excellent if you have good gear .

"Second, Walmart was never a player in the music biz."

For whatever it is worth, this is an article from 2004...

"In the past decade, Wal-Mart has quietly emerged as the nation’s biggest record store. Wal-Mart now sells an estimated one out of every five major-label albums."

“We’re in such a competitive world, and you can’t reach consumers if you’re not in Wal-Mart,” admits another label executive.

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/wal-mart-wants-10-cds-235534/