That's the way it's always been.
Even if you're already a well known band, as soon as you sign a recording contract they mold you into what they want. Changing your name, hiring image consultants, songwriters, hair stylists... putting the whole publicity engine into gear and using payola to get airplay.
Meanwhile they suck you into signing away all the rights to your music and while they make a fortune, you spend all your time paying back the record company for all the percs they don't tell you that you're actually paying for yourself.