I posted a link to a Paul interview from this May. On it, Paul Weller asked him about playing new music, since he's still producing it. Paul said people pay a lot of money to go see him so he feels obligated to play "the hits".
Yes thanks I watched that and enjoyed. I don't think he minds too much that people want to hear the hits, he understands. Thankfully that hasn't stopped him making new music.
I actually haven't heard the albums by the artists he mentions. I'm a casual Paul Simon fan, so still getting to know his famous stuff. With Dylan I found his more recent releases depressing, my favourite period Dylan is Blood on the Tracks to Street Legal, I do like before and after that, but that's the peak, like his contribution to the Wilburies.
To me an artist doesn't need to make a better album than their great ones, but they can extend into other areas or develop qualities that weren't in their more famous work. I'm really glad Paul continued to make new music, Jon Anderson, Brian Wilson.
Prince is really well known for his early stuff Purple Rain and 1999 but I prefer his final album Hit n Run Phase two and Art Official Age from the year before. To me they sound more mature and personal than his more famous stuff, shame he died so young.