Password/hash thefts have been happening for as long as there have been systems with passwords. What changed recently is that we now have centralized services with huge numbers of important accounts. There are more service with large number of accounts and more services that affect multiple aspects of your digital life. When someone steals hashes from those, the press and people are more likely to notice.

I think most people overemphasize the importance of the particular authentication scheme used and overlook the problems created by extreme centralization of stuff.