My friend is convinced that hard rock and metal, with few exceptions, ceased to be any good after 1990. I have tried playing him some stuff that I think would prove him wrong (e.g. - Tool’s Aenima) but he’s not yet convinced. From pre-1990, he loves Metallica, King Diamond, Anthrax, and artsier stuff like Pink Floyd and Genesis.
Of post-1990 stuff, he does enjoy Dream Theater. What other artists/CDs should I recommend to him?
Genesis is considered “hard rock”?
If he likes artsier stuff, I recommend Savatage: Dead Winter Dead, The Wake of Magellan, and Poets and Madmen. All three are concept albums, and all three have some really good hard-rocking stuff.
Genesis is considered artsy? 
White Stripes has some songs that can be confused with hard rock.
Flaming Lips matches pretty well with Genesis and Floyd.
Mastodon is my current favorite metal band. I think they are amazing.
I like Converge too, but it’s a different kind of metal… maybe more punk-metal. I don’t know if that would be his thing.
It’s always a shame when people refuse to believe any type of music is worthwhile after a certain time period. With the internet and whatnot available to find such a huge amount of new stuff, that’s just a silly mindset to take.
I’ve always wondered about people who think that “Grunge killed rock.” I’ve heard people complain that rock just isn’t the same, and I don’t get it. First, nothing stays the same in music, and second, Grunge was just fucking rock, man! I rocked out to Hair metal in the '80s, then loved GnR and Living Color in the late '80s, and Nirvana just blew me away. It’s just rock. I know it’s all about personal taste, but people who liked Guns N Roses, but couldn’t find SOME grunge to like made me go 
Joe
No, Genesis (and Floyd) are NOT hard rock. I’m just trying to point out that my friend likes progressive rock along with the hard stuff, although the Dream Theater mention also indicates that.
Definitely recommend Mastodon as mentioned upthread, I’d also recommend dave Grohl’s side project Probot. He brought in a different vocalist for each track and it definitely has an ‘old school’ feel. I love the Deftones and would give them a try as well. If none of these suggestions work get him a Venom CD (or cassette) and leave him in the '80s 
90’s were great for rock and Alternative rock. There’s still good stuff in the 21st century too.
Rammstein, White Stripes, the new Metallica of course, Marilyn Manson, Rage Against the Machine, Audioslave, Offspring, Green Day, White Zombie, and some Sublime.
gasp HE DOESN’T LIKE PEARL JAM?!!
Lots of people don’t like Pearl Jam. Like me. But “Ten” was decent.
For an artsy Genesis song that will also rock your socks off before it’s over, check out “The Musical Box” from their “Nursery Cryme” album. (circa 1972.)
The music died. All that’s left are the Cafe’s.*
Now get offa my lawn, damnit.
You specifically mention American in the title, but don’t say anything about it in the OP and even mention Pink Floyd who isn’t American. But, for what it’s worth, there’s TONS of stuff that’s great and new.
In the vein of Pink Floyd, I’d recommend Porcupine Tree. Much of their earlier stuff is highly influenced by Pink Floyd. Their last 3-4 albums though have been distinctly more modern rock and metal influenced, but still very artsy and psychadelic. For their more psychadelic stuff, check out an album like Up the Downstair, Lightbulb Sun, or The Sky Moves Sideways. For their more modern rock sound, check out Recordings, In Absentia, or Fear of a Blank Planet.
In the vein of Dream Theater, they’re simply the best of the modern Progressive Metal bands. If he likes them, I would recommend a number of bands. Spock’s Beard is from the same area, but they’re a little more rock oriented and just have some bizarre melodies and jams… some of it’s a little too goofy to be taken seriously, but it’s generally pretty solid and a band that a Dream Theater fan should like. I’d highly recommend Octane and Snow.
In general, most Dream Theater fans will probably like some or all of these bands as well: Symphony X (The Odyssey, Divine Wings of Tragedy), Ayreon (Human Equation, Universal Migrator, Into the Electric Castle), and Pain of Salvation (The Perfect Element, One Hour by the Concrete Lake, Remedy Lane). Depending on which of those he’d like, I can make more specific recommendations.
To anyone who is a fan of Metallica, it’s really hard to say because metal has become SO incredibly diverse these days that I really don’t know where to go. Would he like more of the modern thrash sound? Would he like Power Metal or Death metal? Either way, I can 100% guarantee that any fan of old school Metallica will like Iced Earth. He should check out The Dark Saga (a concept album about the comic book character Spawn), Burnt Offerings, or Something Wicked This Way Comes.
I could make a ton more recommendations, but it really depends on what he’d like. If you just want a list of some kick-ass bands, check out my post in the metal fans thread.
Speaking of non-American, Muse rocks!
I would say that Marilyn Manson, Rage Against The Machine, Green Day, and Sublime are great examples of artists he hates. He’d probably like Rammstein; I think he does like White Zombie, and the jury’s still out on the new Metallica (he hated “Cyanide”, but that’s probably the weakest track on the CD).
That’s OK, but I prefer “The Knife” when I think about relatively heavy Genesis. He knows all that stuff, too. I’m just mentioning it as a reference point.
Hmm, tough crowd.
Well if he likes Floyd I’d still recommend Muse, and if he likes 80’s Anthrax he may also like Avenged Sevenfold.