Let's take a bunch of 90's people:
Pearl Jam - Survived the 90's transition gracefully, if somewhat boring. Still carries a modicum of respect
Foo Fighters - zzzzz
The Smashing Pumpkins - Incredible start, surprising sound twist, meteoric fall
Weezer - Refused to change significantly and grow up
Rage Against The Machine - Everyone else grew up
Nine Inch Nails - the anti-Rage, managed to age and evolve gracefully despite trying to keep some "angst". Helped by Reznor's fantastic scores.
Green Day - Did not age gracefully
Offspring - lol
Limp Bizkit - top lols
Sublime - add new vocalist, tour the world smelling of old people closet
LInkin Park - Well, at least they tried to change
Wilco - Aged gracefully, flirted with boring, came back
Flaming Lips - Aged very gracefully, freaked out, came back, freaked out again, aged terribly, bounced back, went insane, Miley Cyrus
Radiohead - Changed sound half a dozen times, aged gracefully, if uneventfully on the very latest release
Bjork - Another successful, inventive and creative artist from the beginning to today. Missteps only highlights the highs, rather than showing signs of fatigue.
Beck - Solid mix of inventiveness, settling down on his own sound, and trying new things. Solid evolution.
Sonic Youth - New, inventive, moving forward until the bitter end. Individual parts still producing amazing music.
Conclusion:
Sonic Youth taught all the kids of the 90's how to do it.
Then they taught everyone else again.