Why does all new pop music sound the same?

@asp307 
"I hope I never become an old guy waxing nostalgia about Kurt Cobain (and the like) to anyone who will listen...my worst nightmare... "
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Bite your tongue my young friend.  There are nightmares out there like you can't believe just waiting.  I truly hope they never find you.  Really I do. 

@chayro , lighten up...I wasn’t being serious about it being my worst nightmare...we’re debating the state of pop music...

The great German Classical Conductor Hebert Von Karajan once said,"There will come a time when everything (music) will be 10th rate.   Question is, are we there yet?

Cheers

rok2id / It depends on what you're listening too. There are some gems out there, though I doubt they'll get air time. 
BTW, I just asked my son (he's 20 / 36 years younger than me) if he considers me a musical schmuck. He doesn't, there is hope :-). Seriously my kids have turned me on to some great music such as: Jason Molina, Moe., My Morning Jacket, Phish, Great Lakes Swimmer, Parquet Courts, Porcupine Tree, and even some that I previously ignored such as Radiohead & The Talking Heads. They in turn have come to love musicians such as Frank Zappa, Grateful Dead, Brian Eno, Roxy Music, Dylan, Lou Reed, Wilco, and many others through me. A few months ago I took my youngest with me to see Mark Lanegan live. He thoroughly enjoyed it. This can go both ways.  

@boxer12 , it's what you said. This CAN go both ways but I think it's important to take as much as we want to give. You are showing an interest in what your kids are listening to and what's important to them musically and in turn they are doing the same. There are correlations between the bands you've listed and many deviations which could occupy a lifetime of exploration.

A great way to introduce older bands is through covers... Phish does this well...sneakin' sally through the alley, VU- loaded, TH- remain in light, boogie on reggae women, etc. Jim James and Mark Lanegan have both released cover albums. Many of the current indie bands released the massive GD tribute produced by by The National.

Hearing Phish play Sneaking Sally, I dug further and found Robert Palmer (the Robert Palmer I grew up with was addicted to love and letting the world know that some like it hot, not the 70's sneakin' sally and Pressure Drop Palmer I came to love.) I then dug further and found Allen Toussaint, who wrote the song. He exposed me to the NOLA sound and I became a fan of Professor Longhair, the Meters, Dr. John, Lee Dorsey, etc...