I feel bad for GenX'ers that missed out on the 60s and 70s.

The best time for music is now.
The best time for music always will be "now", as long as all the music from the past continues to be available on good recordings.

Some previous time was "better" only with respect to live music by specific performers. But it’s not as though I would have had a realistic shot at hearing the Beatles live in 1965 or Franz Liszt live in 1843. Today we have better access to more recordings, on a greater variety of media, than ever before.

Granted, you probably can no longer walk to a local store with a couple of buddies to find bin after bin of vinyl records, with wonderful album art, for about $3.99 each. That was fun.

Don't feel too bad, many are making $$$ with YouTube channels "reacting" to the music we grew up on.

Imagine that. Well, if their parents didn't expose them to these masterpieces while growing up at least their "subscribers" are clueing them in.

Maybe there is hope for this generation aft....ah who am I kidding they're f'd

There is a good argument to be made that right now is the best time to be a music fan. We now have available all the music made from the beginning of recorded music to now, we have better systems to play it on, with performers in room sense of my system, a concert is available to me everyday, and I get to control the songs.  We have much greater access to all this great music, so many obscurities, and we can stream it at amazingly low cost. The magical experiences continue for me, just in a different way. Nostalgia sometimes fools us.

slaint

Of all those bands you listed, maybe only The Police and Prince could creep onto the list given by the OP (BTW, he forgot The Who). This in no way means that the bands you listed didn't each produce a few songs that might measure up to the songs of the bands in the original list, it just means the others didn't have the longevity and as large a catalog of great songs as those on the original list. Your list collectively? Absolutely great stuff. Individually? Good but not quite on par with the original list. Elton John had 6 straight #1 albums. Go listen to Stevie Wonder Talking Book, Innervisions, Fulfillingess' First Finale, Songs in the Key of Life in order. And that doesn't even mention the five greatest rock bands of all time in order (my opinion):
1. The Beatles
2. Led Zeppelin
3. The Who
4. Rolling Stones
5. Queen

I agree we were fortunate to have such amazing music during our formative years.  I would include lots of one or two hits wonders on that list.  I would differ about the quality of the actual live performances.  I saw nearly every touring act that hit the eastern seaboard.  I would not put a quality enjoyable show at above 50%.  Bad sound systems, muddy mixes, excruciating volume (and I like it loud), drunk/wasted performers, no seat seating, songs played triple time due to coked out drummers and bass players.  But, I always went because the other half of the time, the experience was fantastic.
Best show I ever saw was a triple bill of Golden Earring, Earth Wind and Fire, and the JGeils Band. Great sound, great crowd, all killer, no filler.