Jean Michel Jarre? 
I think I haven't listened to his music in about 20 years. He sold millions and millions of albums in the 70s and 80s. I used to love his works (and somewhat still do), but some day I realized that even Vangelis is better. Cheesy are both, the French and the Greek early electronica nerd, but both are cheesy in a good way.
Fund & nerd fact: Film music composer Maurice Jarre was Jean Michel's father (and the far better composer).
Here is Jarre senior's most famous composition:
If you like JMJ's music, I definiteley recommend Vangelis' Blade Runner soundtrack. Vangelis is overrated by his fans (well, which musician isn't) and created a lot of crap, but this soundtrack is brilliant.
By the way: What your're currently going through is the journey of a true music lover. People who truly love music just have to discover new music, they can't help it.
Your thread reminds me of my 15 year old nephew who asked me last year if I've ever heard of Bob Marley. My brother (his father) laughed, because he found the question ridiculous, he said something like "are you kidding? Of course he knows Bob Marley. Everybody knows Bob Marley". I didn't laugh, because I realized that my nephew is constantly discovering new music. I thought: Finally another music lover in the family. My brother, who's a literature lover like I'm a music lover, couldn't name a single Bob Marley song outside perhaps No Woman No Cry if I asked him. My nephew on the other hand digs into the back catalogue of a newly discovered favourite musician/band/composer like I did when I was a teenager. One year later he nows Marley's music better than I do.
There's plenty of great "contemporary" music and artists in my opinion. Arcade Fire, The XX, Fleet Foxes, Erykah Badu, The Roots, Janelle Monáe, Bonnie Prince Billy, Wilco, ... you name them.
Here are some examples of recent "mainstream" songs which I really like:
http://www.kovideo.net/badu-honey-video-erykah-814176.html <= I absolutely love this video for Honey, it was definitely created by people who love music. The LP cover parodies are great. (Sorry, for some reason I can't embed this video).
For a music lover discovering music - which mainly means discovering music that was created before you were born - is one of the best thing that can happen in his/her life. And the journey never ends. We listen to what we love.
