Interesting article, I had never read. In the 1980s I think the guitar did become more of a texture and an atmosphere with the big guitar god thing of the 1970s not being the focus of bands like U2 or The Police. Funny thing was I was having conversation recently about guitar and guitar players and how in the 1970s and 1980s we talked about guitar players all the time. Now, I just don't think the younger people listening to music, whatever is popular now, care about guitar players. I mean to me, I feel like the guitar players were as important as the singers back then. We even talked a lot about drummers and bass players, ha. Now, and I could be living with my head in the sand, I don't know, I just don't think there is this long list of guitar players that people care about or could name. 

I think it is still the same names from when I was a kid that get mentioned or are known. 

I love Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys for a rock player these days that is from a younger generation. He's great and obviously appreciates many of aspects of playing and in a sort of Joe Walsh way, understands the dynamic of playing rhythm and lead and switching between them to create color and punch. 

There are plenty of great players around, check Tommy Emmanuel if you have not already, but I mean, Tommy is not a young guy, no offense to him. Maybe I just don't know who the great young guitar players are today.