This is such a hard question!
I don't think I could name just one group - after all, variety is the spice of life.
So here's a few that I have been recently listening to:
Motion City Soundtrack
Jeff Buckley (he has the most beautiful voice)
John Butler Trio (Acoustic solos with a wah pedal -awesome)
Pantera
Rage against the machine (Great rock with a polictical bite, and best guitarist ever)
Freemotion (my band!)
And I recently bought that Guitar Hero game for the playstation with the little plastic guitar- it is the coolest thing ever!
My taste are all over the place...no real favorites, but a lot that I like:
U2, Queen, Van Halen (the Dave and Sammy Versions), Brian Setzer Orchestra, Robbie Williams, Green Day, Fiona Apple, Jimmy Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, The Jayhawks, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Eagles, Chuck Berry, Alanis Morrisette, Billy Joel, CCR, Steve Miller Band, The Scorpions, Great White, Motley Crue, The Cars, Robert Cray, Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, Def Leppard, Queensryche, Elvis Costello...
I have well over 500 cd's and about 200 actual records that you put on a turn table!
Edited: Vincenzo on 30th May, 2007 - 9:34am
I have to say - AC/DC are easily one of the greatest rock bands on Earth - Angus Young was a phenomanal guitarist and great performer - with his school uniform and bony knees! Back in black is my favourite AC/DC tune.
I can't believe when their first singer "retired" ,due to alcoholism I think, they found a singer with just as much of a distinctive voice! They rock...
I like a lot of the bands already listed-especially Queen because my Dad is a HUGE fan and we always had a bit of Freddie on the stereo when I was growing up.
Its swings and round abouts with me though . One minute I like pop, the next classical, the next hard as nails rock...I do have a few constants though. You may or may not have heard of one Rufus Wainwright (son/nephew of the Wainwright sisters and brother to Martha who are also pretty good if of a totally different style). He manages to fuse so many styles of music with such eloquent poetry its a real privilege to listen to him. I've been to see him live on the majority of occasions he's come to Scotland and he really is amazing. A true talent.
Also big on The Maniac Street Preachers and The Stereophonics (both Welsh bands. In fact the phonics were huge fans of AC/DC themselves). Huge soft spot for Sheryl Crow too, I've liked her music ever since I first heard Its Hard to Make a Stand. Maddona's Ray of Light album is just great too. I can still listen to that whole album in one sitting and never tire of it. Similarly with Jagged Little Pill by Alanis Morrissette. Oh and the latest stuff by Amy Winehouse-Back to Black is just outstanding.
You can't beat some of the classics though. Ev'ry Time We Say Goodbye by Ella Fitzgerald is just TOO good. All the Motown stuff makes me happy when I listen to it because people actually had to SING in those days not just spout some of the pappy nonsense we're subjected to by the likes of Paris-can't sing for toffee-Hilton today. And of course Nina Simone's Bizarre Fruit is just legendary. I don't know how some of the music producers alive today can sleep at night.
Anyone must stop rambling, I could on at this all day.
Oh and I just thought, Stephen lynch the American singing comedian is good too. He can push it a bit subject wise (Gerbils in parts of the human body they really shouldn't be etc!) but is always very funny as well as a great singer. Beelz is a particular favourite of mine.
Edited: Dougiep on 21st Dec, 2007 - 5:05pm