This is where I started, too. Thing is, I've still never found a modern album that joins the ranks of Rubber Soul or Blonde on Blonde or Exile on Main Street. Seriously. There are a few that've gotten sort of close, but not really. I wonder if that's because the music you listen to in your youth always seems better? I've observed this before but never really asked anyone if they had the same opinion.
I think Yankee Hotel Foxtrot is right there with them. I also think Sea Change and Yoshimi are too. I'd throw The Bends in there as well. I know others would argue that there are better Radiohead albums, but I disagree. There's no doubt that nostalgia plays a large part in the equation, but for quality of songs and cohesiveness of albums I think all of those are right up there. No doubt there are a number of others too. What make bands like the Stones, Beatles and Dylan so damned impressive is how many times they appear on the best albums all time list. That's really a unique and special thing. I'd say Wilco is in that ballpark and I think history will see it that way.
It's tough. You named four albums, three of which are among the 15 best modern albums. I love them all. But basically everything by the Stones I consider out of that ballpark -- never mind Simon & Garfunkel or Dylan. There's some weird divide in my mind centering around the time I was born. It's like I see music of the last 20 years as not being worthy of inclusion in that company (yet?). Maybe someday. But a U2 album from 1988? Sure, yeah. So that's weird. Never really thought about this much, it's interesting. Other albums I consider probably worth being in the Rolling Stones-level discussion -- Kid A, In the Aeroplane over the Sea and the album I'm listening to now, American Slang.