Top Artists:

• Live
• Breaking Benjamin
• Joan Red
• Rammstein
• Korn
• Metallica (Black album and earlier)
• System of a Down/Serj Tankian

Bands in italics are unsigned/independent artists

The list above in no way encompasses my tastes in music. I really do like a wide variety, and can truthfully claim to like a song or two from a LOT of artists, both new and old. These bands listed I generally like regardless of my mood, because I find them to be very talented. For the most part, my musical preferences are based on my reaction to the sound of the music. Usually vocals are the focal point, but some bands I enjoy primarily for the guitar, bass or rhythm of the music. For instance, I enjoy Van Halen mostly for the musical prowess of Eddie Van Halen, whom I consider to be a guitar GOD. Seeing him in concert was almost a spiritual experience.

I listen to a lot of different music, depending on my mood and level of energy at the time. This could range from gentle Celtic music or New Age mood music like Enya, Clannad or Enigma, novelty music such as nerd-core or Weird Al, to the testosterone fueled, hard hitting artists like Killswitch Engage. I'm a big fan of mash-ups/bastard pop/bootleg DJ stuff. These guys mash songs together that have little or no similarities, and often come out with an awesome new creation that I listen to on repeat for days. I even admit to listening to a little hip-hop now and then, but it generally has to be really clever or really good for me to enjoy it.

Lastly, I support local and independent artists as often as I can, especially those who choose to forgo signing with a record label to retain their artistic integrity and maintain full control of their music. It's harder for these artists to survive, so when I find decent bands that work their asses off to make great music, I shell out the cash for t-shirts and CDs, support them online as much as I can, and show up to the shows whenever they are near. Music is my passion, and big name record labels are a scar on the face of the industry.

Without further ado, here's the rest of my list. These are artists that may or may not be on my iPod currently, but for one reason or another I have enjoyed their music in some way within the last few years. I may like all of their albums, a few tracks or even just a single song, but in some way, I've enjoyed the music.

• Alice in Chains
• Art of Dying
• Audiovent
• Avenged Sevenfold
• Ben Adkins
• Ben Folds
• BiPolar (RIP)
• Black Sabbath
• Bloodhound Gang
• Blue Oyster Cult
• Blur
• Bob Dylan
• Bon Jovi
• Boston
• Bulletproof Messenger
• CCR
• Chosen View
• Clannad
• Coheed and Cambria
• Cold
• Collective Soul
• Corky and the Juice Pigs (RIP)
• Cracker
• Cradle of Filth
• Cranberries
• Daft Punk
• Damien Rice
• Darin Davies
• Daughtry
• Def Leppard
• Deftones
• Disturbed
• Doobie Brothers
• East Eighteen
• Echovalve
• Egypt Central
• Eminem
• Enigma
• Enya
• Eric Clapton
• Fallen Within
• Fanoe
• Five Finger Death Punch
• Five Iron Frenzy (RIP)
• Flyleaf
• Framing Hanley
• Gavin Degraw
• Genesis
• Godsmack
• Green Day
• Green Day
• Green Jelly
• Greg Laswell
• Guns 'n' Roses
• Harvey Danger
• Hoobastank
• Il Nino
• James Taylor
• Jay Z
• Jenny Owens Young
• Jim Brickman
• Jimmy Eat World
• John Lennon
• John Mayer (Continuum Album)
• Josh Groban
• Journey
• Judas Priest
• Kelly Clarkson
• Kidney Thieves
• Kill the Alarm
• Killswitch Engage
• King Missle
• Lacuna Coil
• Lady Sovereign
• Laibach
• Led Zeppelin
• Leningrad Cowboys
• Leona Lewis
• Less than Jake
• Linkin Park (Collision Course album w/Jay Z)
• Marie Brennan
• Marilyn Manson
• Matchbox 20
• Matisyahu
• MC Chris
• MC Frontalot
• MC Lars
• Me First and the Gimme Gimmes
• Michelle Tumes
• Missy Higgins
• Nightwish
• Nirvana (RIP)
• One Day
• One Less Reason
• One Second Hero
• Orgy
• Ozzy Osbourne
• Papa Roach
• Paramore
• Pennywise
• Peter Gabriel
• Pink
• POD
• Powerman 5000
• Promise to Burn
• Prosevere
• Radiohead
• Rage Against the Machine
• Ramones (RIP)
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Reel Big Fish
• REO Speedwagon
• Rob Thomas
• Rob Zombie
• Savage Garden
• Save Ferris
• Saviour Machine
• Seether
• Serj Tankian
• Skillet
• Spin Doctors (RIP)
• State Radio ("Us Against the Crown" album, specifically)
• Stone Temple Pilots
• Street Credit
• The Cure
• The Doors (RIP)
• The OC Supertones
• The Offspring
• They Might Be Giants
• Three Days Grace
• Three Doors Down
• Van Halen (I actually prefer "Van Hagar"; anything from the "Balance" album)
• Vayden
• Weird Al
• White Zombie
• Zao