i'm affraid we are losing it, and it got nothing to do with people like backstreet boys, in my opinion it because all the so called rock or metal bands of our time. most of the people out there are doing crap, i dont know why but that's the way it is, i mean the only "modern" guitar player who's giving me some hope is steve vai, all the others are just playing pure rhythm like metal bands, or crappy acustic tunes like travis, or even worse : the so called alternative rock like radiohead.
ok what im really trying to say, is that people should stop trying to do new styles, and try to play more like it was in the 70's and then we will see rainbow in the music sky :)