I've never had an aluminum bike I liked, but I am not sure it had anything to do with the frame material.

My cynical view is that full-suspension mountain bikes became popular because they mitigate the harshness of the frame material.

My kid sold his carbon Canyon Spectral frame and bought an aluminum stumpjumper evo. He thinks it is a major improvement, and I think it is the nicest-looking aluminum frame I have seen.