Okay to be fair I'm probably exaggerating for the sake of my own optimism, but I think it's probably safe to say that more young people aren't satisfied with popular music today than in past generations

>I'd be curious if you could recommend anything new!

I dwell primarily in Prog circles so here's a short list of (almost exclusively prog) albums that came out within the last few years that I think are great:

Lightworker by Devin Townsend

Fauna by Haken

Aphelion by Leprous

Fear Inoculum by Tool

Rise Radiant by Caligula's Horse

Closure / Continuation by Porcupine Tree

I Don't Know What I Am by Reliqa

Witness by VOLA

In Cauda Venenum by Opeth

Shadow of My Future Self by Ross Jennings

The Wind by Balmorhea

Niratias by Chevelle

BILO IV by David Maxim Micic

Hushed and Grim by Mastodon

The Work by Rivers of Nihil

Fortitude by Gojira

Phanerazoic II by The Ocean

I'll admit that some of these bands have been around since the 90s but some of them are as new as 2018. I'll also admit that a couple of them might be too heavy for your taste, particularly Gojira, The Ocean and Rivers of Nihil. If you'd prefer song recommendations, I could recommend a song or two from each of these albums

You're not saying anything new. And like a quarter of my generation (born in 2001 so I'm a certified zoomer) agrees with you. But we also know how to turn the radio off and listen to artists that aren't on the charts. Some of the best music ever made is coming out right now, it's just not selling out arenas anymore like it used to in the 70s. Listen to some more niche stuff and I'm sure you'll find new music that you like. Or stick with your old records if that's what you like

Frank Sinatra's Come Fly With Me (1958) is a great addition to the Elvis self titled and Kind of Blue that have already been named

Although if we really want to stretch the definition of "album" you could say that the oldest one that the average Joe would have heard of is probably Bach's Symphony 1 or something like that

Ah you've beaten me to the punch. I'll suggest Rishloo instead then. Feathergun is their most popular album but I think their second most popular record Living As Ghosts With Buildings As Teeth is better and would fit your taste more

I would recommend Porcupine Tree to any fan of Radiohead. Their most well received albums are In Absentia, Deadwing, Fear of A Blank Planet, and Lightbulb Sun. I'd listen to them in that order

Find the stuff that's similar to what you already like and branch out from there

Post-rock

Slipknot's Self Titled Debut for me

Purest emotion I've heard on an album was Weather Systems by Anathema. It's not entirely similar to the stuff you say you like but it's not that far off

If they didn't do that, the album would cease its popularity spikes once its released. One big spike on release day, and then it slowly but consistently goes down. Release another single and you create another spike. I assume that's a better business model than releasing nearly half the album before it comes out, and that half is usually the only good stuff on the album anyways. Then after release day you watch those profits fall

Post Rock! Try 'A Deafening Distance' by God is an Astronaut

Tool you say? Check out Karnivool, Rishloo, Fair to Midland, Leprous, Haken, VOLA, and Caligula's Horse

Too many people hear Tool and think it's great but never dive any deeper into modern prog. There's a whole genre of that stuff!

Edit: also Porcupine Tree and The Ocean, like others said. If you like heavier stuff, then check out Gojira, Slice The Cake, Rivers of Nihil, The Contortionist, and Meshuggah

If you like Pink Floyd, check out Rishloo and My Morning Jacket. Two pretty different bands, but both have Pink Floyd influence. Rishloo is like PF mixed with Tool, and My Morning Jacket is like if PF was a little Folk-y. Both are great

I actually think that today's more emotional pop music is much better than 2010's bubblegum pop. With the exceptions of a couple tropes. I was sick to death of the "good time/party" and "confidence/empowerment" side of pop music by 2014, and I was still practically a child back then

It's not as if there aren't loads of newer songs that have that vibe now, and its not as if there wasn't loads of sad pop songs in the 2010s, but I'm sure glad that the "Roar" and "Tonight's Gonna Be A Good Night" kind of pop isn't as prominent as it was 10 years ago

I recently saw The Contortionist play Language and then immediately play Exoplanet, after Rivers of Nihil opened with all of The Work. Great show. The Nihil vocalist left the band a few shows after that

Metalcore has been the most successful rock genre recently. Prog is doing good underground though. Check out Haken, Vola, Leprous, Reliqa, and Caligula's Horse, just to name a few

I wish the "Rock and Roll" Hall of Fame would change its name if it's gonna keep ignoring rock acts in favor of completely non rock ones

I also wish people would stop paying any attention to it since it's so obviously completely full of bullshit

Lightwork by Devin Townsend and Closure / Continuation by Porcupine Tree are my favorites from OP's list

Do EPs count? Then my pick is I Don't Know What I Am by Reliqa

Also +1 for PT and Devy

Dang we were almost twins

Honestly, just thinking that music can be good or bad and that it's not all purely just a matter of taste is already a controversial opinion enough to get you crucified in much of the music community

But besides that my answer is that ACDC and Guns N Roses are two of the most overrated bands ever and their vocalists sound horrible

That take is QUITE hot

I've been preaching this one for a while. We're living in a golden age for underground music, but everyone just wants to scream that we're in a dark age for popular music

Your ranking of the big 4 is starting to sound identical to mine. Who's your number 1?