> There's little doubt in my mind that pop music hit a dry spell in the
> late-'90s that continues to this day.
This is contingent on us being aware of everything which is happening and being able to appreciate it. For example, how many people had heard of The Velvet Underground in the 60s, let alone bought their records? The same is partly true for The Doors, since their record sales didn't peak until many years after Jim Morrison's death.