There is certainly a magic to the experience you're describing...but if I had to pick, I think we've got it better now in terms of ways to discover great new music. The entire internet at my disposal is way better than betting on the fact that the three people who work in a record store are going to be on the same page as me. And for every magical record store employee who is great at helping you discover new music, there is another one who is just elitist and gatekeepy.