But the premise feels kind of right. Even the big followers don't tend to consider the newer albums as high in regard but follow them anyways because there's still some fun there. And I guess it's enough to get new fans in even as they really ride on a few singles to keep the momentum going.
If I were asked what separates them it's not just the grandness itself but the classical style they had in their peak albums. Big riffs and arena rock aren't new but pulling from the bombast of old Russian composers is not a style I've felt replicated very much in rock music.
That, and they have enough variety to be appealing to newer music listeners. Pitchfork once attributed their success to making fun and easy riffs for bedroom guitarists and that's kinda true I think.