... Having nothing to do with ageism other than the linear path it takes, younger audiences are surrounded by and accustomed to hearing programmed music more so than previous generations, who accept the technology as being a part of the tools of the trade.
Were their purists who revolted against mulit-track recordings and over dubs? I'll bet there was, just as there are folks who have a hard time swallowing the sonic canvas that it today's popular music. I think sometime in the not too distant future, as it's already happening, the drum machine and other forms of electronic instruments in addition to computer assisted "writing", will be just as common place as the Pro-Tools rig, and will be accepted with little resistance.
I believe, (or hope), that music for the sake of art, rather than the bottom line, will continue to be a human experience. There will always be guys like Jack White who can string some wire on a wall and share feelings, there will always be audiences to go watch fellow humans perform a skill or talent on an organic instrument.