For another, “eternal” legends go in and out of fashion. The Bach family had a lot of musicians and composers in it, and for a long time C.P.E. Bach was considered way cooler than J.S. Bach. The former is still respected, but the latter is now considered way above. The tides of fashion are in all sorts of places.
How would you know if there was a composer comparable to Beethoven today? Afaik, it’s hard to tell which art will have staying power.
That would be the Beatles, for one.
For another, “eternal” legends go in and out of fashion. The Bach family had a lot of musicians and composers in it, and for a long time C.P.E. Bach was considered way cooler than J.S. Bach. The former is still respected, but the latter is now considered way above. The tides of fashion are in all sorts of places.