Rule 1 for this thread: No mention of Red Hot Chili Peppers or Level 42. You can discuss Primus though, because they're good.

It seems that the bass is increasingly buried away far too low in the mix to the extent that at times it can be a bit of a struggle even to make out the bass lines at all.

Which current (or recently departed) bands do you rate for their prominent bass. The first example that springs to mind for me is Hot Water Music, ALL of their songs feature great driving bass lines.