But remember hootayah, the public couldn't care less how well you play guitar. There are thousands of people out there who can play malmsteen licks note for note who aren't successful in the industry, and that's because the record buying public wants to hear music, not guitar playing. I'm not saying that its necessarily good music that the public wants to hear, but just because you're capable of playing the licks, doesn't mean that it's unfair that johnny six string is famous and you aren't, because johnny six string is capable of making marketable music, that's the difference.
I'm not a fan of blink 182, or nirvana, or any of the guys you're probably refering to, but I don't think that I should have a record deal just because I play better than them. They are making catchy pop tunes, to judge them by their skill as guitarrists is foolish and irrelevent.
Listen to what you like, but don't judge others because they listen to or perform music that requires less skill to pull off, if I listened only for skill then I'd probably listen to elliot fisk all day long, but I have other tastes as well, and I don't get angry every time i see somebody bashing out power chords on tv.