[Zeke.]

A company will invest less and less in an artist if they don't provide enough income to garner a profit. Of course sales are important because it means better opportunities and resources invested from within the company (to things like tours, etc.).

I mean, one could make the argument that the poor attention to proper mixing and less time/resources spent in fleshing out the layering in arrangements and compositions is because the company just doesn't see the benefit of spending the additional time/resources when sales just continue to decline regardless.

From a business standpoint, it just doesn't make sense. (Although it's kind a double edged sword cause how can they expect sales to pick up otherwise?)