Do you think there're more bands making a deliberate effort to avoid the "big time" now or say, 10-15 years ago?

Yes/No- Why?

Now, by far.

I can't comment on 10-15 years ago, but if you would've said 25 or so years ago then that would've made my decision really easy.

Hardcore punk, post-punk, no wave, free jazz, noise, their were a hell of a lot of building scenes that would have never sold their music to a movie soundtrack, commercial, tv show, etc. I don't have a problem with making money off your music so that you can keep making it, but I highly doubt that any of the bands involved in those movements would have done that.