Recommend some pieces and/or composers?

Not particularly. :-)

But seriously, if you go to a concert by your local orchestra, there will often be a premiere of a new piece by some local composer which will sound like band music written for orchestra. (Unless your local orchestra is the New York Philharmonic or something. But even then, most new music will tend to be on the conservative side -- people such as Rouse or Harbison, rather than Babbitt or Ferneyhough.)

Is it possible that it has less prestige because it just isn't as likable for most people as the many sorts of competing music?

Usually it's plenty "likable", it just isn't particularly impressive.