Streaming music would never be harder than actually selling music. You don't have to go anywhere to stream music. You're not waiting on radio to play your favorite song. You're not going to a record store to buy an album. Streaming is the easiest most convenient way to consume music.
For the customer it’s easier for us to consume music by streaming it but no matter the year the hardest part of being an artist is selling it to be consumed which is why millions have been spent on marketing.
Lol I can purchase a physical album from Amazon or anywhere else in 30 seconds. Sooooooo no one has to go anywhere to buy an album. Been that way for a decade.
Artists are still waiting on radio to play their song plus they’re hoping to get their songs on playlists.
It’s arguable that it’s harder to be a new artist and succeed then it was in the past