Quick Write: Music I Like Most

Wow could I write forever on a topic like this. The music that I listen to is predominantly rock, but sometimes falls out of that category. There really isn't a genre of rock that I don't like more or less, however.
The first band that I became aware that I liked was U2, back when I was probably in fourth grade, as they are a favorite of my parents. Now, over the last 5 years, I've been finding more and more music that I like, constantly changing my preferences and favorites.
My FAVORITE band, probably for life, is Rush. I first heard their song Tom Sawyer on Rock Band. I thought "meh" and didn't think much of Rush for the next two years. Then, on a trip I took, I swapped iPods with someone who happened to have The Spirit of Radio-greatest hits of Rush on their iPod. Songs like The Spirit of Radio, New World Man, and 2112 got me HOOKED on Rush. I really like everything about them, from Geddy's awesome bass, singing, keyboard playing to Neil Peart's badass drumming. For a few years after that, I listened to classic rock and prog rock. Some of my favorite prog rock bands are Yes and ELP. ELP especially is a really impressive band. I have never heard keyboard playing that even remotely rivals Keith Emerson's work on such epic songs as Karn Evil 9 and Tarkus.
More recently, however, I've been getting more into 90's and 00's rock. The band that got me hooked (my 5th favorite band), was Nirvana. I can't think of a more perfect album than Nevermind. I love every song, especially On a Plain and In Bloom. What spawned from listening to that album was my (still continuing) obsession with Alternative Rock. One of the things I like most about Nirvana is that Kurt Cobain can create a perfect-sounding record, then play the same songs out of tune in an old guitar, then sound absolutely amazing on an acoustic guitar in an acoustic setting, and they all sound awesome. No one did that better than Nirvana.
Nirvana was always criticized because it was thought that Kurt Cobain was really the only great talent in the band. Dave Grohl, the Nirvana drummer, proved everyone wrong when he formed Foo Fighters after Kurt Cobain's death. The Foo Fighters are currently my 2nd favorite band. Dave Grohl can, in my opinion, write songs that rival Kurt Cobain's. Oh, did I mention that Dave Grohl now plays guitar and sings in Foo Fighters. That's why he's my favorite artist overall. He can play drums in Nirvana, then play guitar and front Foo Fighters, then play drums in Tenacious D, Nine Inch Nails, Queens of the Stone Age, and Them Crooked Vultures.
Then there's an entirely different side of rock that I'm really getting into, characterized by Radiohead. Radiohead, my 3rd favorite band, creates some of the most beautiful music ever to come out of a rock genre. In the 90's, they were the second greatest Alternative Rock act, after Nirvana. Then, in 2000, the completley reinvented themselves and now do pretty much whatever they want. Some songs still go back to their roots. But many others feature almost completely piano or electronics and It's all good.

So even though I prefer rock, I envision myself embracing other genres as well because In a way, all music should be good. The reason I like rock so much is due to it's energy in some cases, or it's pristine craftsmanship in other places. Overall just completey fascinating.

I used to slam pop and rap artists when I was with friends. Eventually, someone said to me "you're being a complete douche." That pretty much stopped that behavior. Now, i try not to dismiss music just because of it's genre. I still prefer songs that feature guitar, or at least a real instrument, but I'm more open to other songs. What gives me the right to say that "this song is BAD?" I mean someone likes it, if it was made. Some music doesn't really speak to me, but with the right mentality I still should be able to enjoy, or at least tolerate it. I think it's a shame when people disregard music just because it's "old" or "now what I like." They are probably missing out on some fantastic stuff. That's why I'm excited to see what music I discover next. I mean I never thought I'd like Radiohead, but now i absolutely love them. There's probably way more music that I would like that I haven't discovered yet. Whether it be metal, or pop, or... rap. We'll see.