Some bands are famous, we all know about them. Some bands are only known in their locality or genre. This second kind interest me more than the famous ones. A few of these groups actually make a living at it but most play because they like what they do. This means they do the booking, the schlepping, the rehearsal, and the (sometimes difficult) social interactions for the love of music.
The world of music is vast. The 'music business' is just a part of that world. The top acts on Spotify and each years' Grammy nominees represent the best and the worst with a bias toward the worst. The corporate demands of business degrade any product because profit is valued above quality. For example, it's possible to get an enjoyable meal at Taco-Bell or a decent cup of coffee at a 7-11 but you can't count on it.
Every town has it's music. In my thirty years here, I've grown to appreciate what we have. I have learned that the heart of any music scene is a collection of people who really care about getting their music out there. You can be highly trained or rough and primitive, the key ingredient is motivation.
People are gonna flake on you, schedules will disintegrate, the band will turn your song into cacaphonous mess. You just take it in stride and keep going. One day all the parts will come together, all smiles on stage and the audience diggin' it. Everybody happy, that's the reward.