There is plenty of good music out there - you just have to weed thru more commercialism now to get to it. Sure, technology can help Paris Hilton release an album.....but artists like Beck can harness it and make something even more powerful.
Frankly, I like it all but you have to adapt to style changes and open your mind (ears) too. Obviously we are all partial to certain eras.....nostalgia, really.....for me, late 90's are near and dear to my heart - but only because I was in high school/college at the time, discovering myself and getting stoned out of my mind (always helps memorialize tunes, man
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But I think Beck, Cake, the Killers, Ben Folds, Radiohead, Flaming Lips, Wilco, the Shins, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and others.....would stack up quite nicely against bands from other eras. I'd even throw Tool, NIN, Foo Fighters and the now defunct A Perfect Circle in there too....just for pure musicianship and lyricism. For every Clay Aiken, there's probably still a Liz Phair out there rocking somewhere (direct comparison intended). I'm even sappy enough to admit that I like Jack Johnson who in some ways reminds me of James Taylor.
And before I get flamed, I listen to the Talking Heads, Zappa, the Clash, Sinatra, Dylan, Miles Davis, Coltrane, Otis Redding, the Dead...and I still get stuck on the Beatles White Album and the Beach Boys - Pet Sounds too. I agree with POS though, if you grew up listening to classic rock (as I did)....I can't tolerate the standard fare Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, AC/DC, CSNY, Jefferson Airplane/Starship, Boston, Journey or even my beloved Led Zep or Hendrix unless I play their unknown stuff myself. The groups are great (except for Journey - I openly loathe Steve Perry), the way they are presented/beaten to death is not.
Sure, technology and styles change.....and so can we. For those in the Philly area, I strongly encourage you to listen to XPN radio (88.5)...it's the best thing out there for a music lover (on FM radio, that is). End of rant.