Scott,

You are using reverse research to make your point. All of the things you mention are from several years back. For the past 15 years we have had the Internet, and the world got incredibly more competitive.
You can write negative. Puts you in good company. 95% of the writers and songs that come through here do that. Out of 96 songs on a writers night I was at last week, 11 were positive and mid tempo. And I did three of them. And I tend to get a lot of attention.
You are making the assumption that as a beginning writer someone is going to get to bring in a negative song, and start out on a roll with that. And I can guarantee you that is not going to happen in this day and age.
But Lord, people keep trying. And I welcome it. Thins out the competition. They are turned off at intros and second lines.
If you have no track record, you have no chance. But anyone can do it. And prove me wrong. Hasn't happened in my twenty years here but people can keep trying. Bring in a sad, negative song, as a new writer. See how long it stays on in the office of a music industry, artist, or producer, or record label. They are basically stacked on top of the other 2 million three hundred and ninty thousand other ones that are just like them in subject matter, approach, cliched' titles, lines.
You know, people like Rand, Mike and I are just the messengers here. You can get upset and complain and talk about all the songs out there on the radio and videos and make your case. And in pretty much every case, I can show you the story behind the song, the previous track record of the writer on the song, the artist, the record company official who made it happen. But you can keep bringing them up.
I would first suggest a little song research and find out what is really on the current charts. Might be interesting.

MAB