For me the beginnings of rock are The Beatles, they played in 1960-1970. Of course there were a lot of many bands, but I want to speak about precoursers.
Those years were also Jimi Hendrix and The Doors.
1971 - Stairway to Heaven from "Led Zeppelin IV"
1973 - Dark Side of the Moon - Pink Floyd
1975 - A Night in the Opera - Queen.
1979 - The Wall - Pink Floyd
Generally, 1970s it was a development of progressive rock with synth sound.
Of course 1970s are also the beginning of metal. 1970 - Paranoid of Black Sabbath, 1975 - Rainbow releases Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow.
1980s it is a for most people "ABBA" era, but for me I connect them strongly with Iron Maiden and Metallica. Of course Judas Priest, Accept, etc... It was the first modern metal sound and like IM with catchy choruses and some power metal elements (Aces High)
1987 - Keeper of the 7 keys - Helloween,
1988 - Batallions of Fear - Blind Guardian
1989 - Fright Night - Stratovarius
It was the first CDs of power metal also speed metal (Hansen).
But also late 80s was the beginning of trash, death and black metal.
1991 - Images and Words - Dream Theater. Of course there was a lot of influences from Queensryche, YES and Pink Floyd. But that began progressive metal.
Whole 1990s it was a constant motion in these genres.
Finally I want to go to my main point.
2000 it was a year when:
Dream Theater was on their tour of Metropolis pt. 2
- IHMO their best album
Helloween released The Dark Ride, last album with Kusch and Grapow, a classic
Gamma Ray - between Powerplant and No World Order - both full of great songs, also classic
Blind Guardian - between Nightfall and A Night in the Opera,
Stratovarius - Infinite (my favourite is Episode, but Infinite is on the podium)
Avantasia - The Metal Opera part 1 released in 2001.
Ayreon - Universal Migrator
Symphony X - V: New Mythology Suite
Nightwish - Wishmaster
What I want to say is that although in 2000-2010 there were released a lot of great albums (i.e. Octavarium, Dark Passion Play, Polaris, The Days of Grays, The Edge of Time, Majestic), but in my opinion there is no development in it. I mean it a kind of autoplagiat all that stuff and the march forward has stopped. Maybe in other genres there are new elements (i think about Lady Gaga, Muse, Placebo or some dance/techno music which I don't listen) but I am bit afraid about metal, where does it goes?
I have few bands I really trust in their new compositions: i mean Nightwish, Stratovarius, all Arjen Lucassen stuff (great Guilt Machine, but also nothing really new) and maybe BG.
Do you also have a feeling of wasted years?
Sorry for such a long post, maybe I just can't sleep well
