Who is your favourite group/artist and why?

Mine is Vanessa Amorosi because....

She writes her own lyrics and music, as well as recording instruments herself. She sings in many styles, ranging from ballads to rock, and pop to dance etc.

She has a great personality and doesn't do the 'diva thing' when on tour or at interviews etc.

Vanessa has a way of brightening up the whole day when you hear her sing, but at the same time she can harness your heart and make it weep, or lift up your spirits and make you feel like you're flying.

My favorite at the moment has to be The Darkness, never in the last 20 years have a band brought rock back into the limlight so much. Even my 11 year old sister likes them! They sound nothing like pop, but they are completely different from any rock band in the last 15 years, they are British, write their own songs, best of all they play PROPER music

Judging by my cd collection, I would have to say Robbie Williams, he's one of the few that I have more than one album of. I like him because he is a good entertainer, has a great voice,and is very, very sexy to watch.

I would say guns 'n' roses looking through the years, they released some brilliant material until spaghetti incident which let the world down. Appetite for destruction is magic, use your illusion 1 & 2 are great to. Does anyone remember 'november rain'' which is the best rock ballad ever.

At the moment Delta Goodrem.

Great songs, great voice, plays the piano, writes (or co-writes) most of her own material, not bad-looking, seems very sweet and doesn't feel the need to strip for lads-mags to sell records

My favorite cd (right this minute) is Busted's 'A present for everyone'. It just has everything and its great in the car.

Following closely behind is Delta Goodrem!

Some great selections there guys!
Anyone else?

Can I have three?
Tori Amos: writes beautiful, personal songs which she plays and sings herself, is a fantastic live performer and is nearly a Brit (well, a Brit by marriage anyway )

Followed by REM (massively influential over a 20+ year career, great songwriters, awsome live and that voice...)

and Opeth (again, great songwriters, brilliant instumentalists, head-explodingly good live and push the boundarys of their genre to the limit)

Queen were still around 15 years ago, and they sound very like them.

Scott Walker...abso-f*ckin-lutely blinding...a vocal like liquid honey and one of the most brilliant song-writer's that ever lived, breathed and caused melodic chaos on the Jools Holland show!!! The man is a genius...Plastic Palace People, The Girls From The Streets, Always Coming Back To You and Big Louise are beyond glorious - alongside almost everything else this truly charismatic crooner has ever produced.

Also, Pulp. From the almighty His 'N' Hers era to this present day theyve always been way ahead of their game (bar the Common People malarkey - admittedly an 'anthem' but not their greatest work to date)...This Is Hardcore and We Love Life are exceptional album's and Cocker is the GREATEST live front-man of the past 20 years IMO. He's also a very nice bloke to boot...I met him just a couple of years ago and he gave me a fag' (Silk Cut if you're interested) and spent about a half-hour chatting away and signing various bits 'o' obscure Pulp bumpth for me. A true Gent' - tremendously self-deprecating and humble.

Just missing out...

Tom Waits, David Bowie and The Velvet Underground.

Manic Street Preachers. I just don't think, in recent times, there's a rock band as intelligent and as insightful and as exciting.

mine would have to be REM, closely followed by usher!

I need three if that's ok..

Led Zeppelin
Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Metallica

Stubob

I could go on and on about all time favourites, but at the moment, 30 Seconds to Mars, The Faint, The Mars Volta and Interpol.

Loads.

Current
'The Darkness'. Proper rock music!
Alex Parks. I Love this type of emotional singing, makes me all tingly.
Hayley Westenera. Just great to listen to, really amazing voice.

All timefavs
The Beatles.
Led Zeppelin
Status Quo
Kate Bush
Joni Mitchell
Oasis.
Pink Floyd
Black Sabbath
Deep Purple.
Abba
Carpenters.
Sex Pistols
Queen

(off the top of my head, probably loads more)

Oh, and one more potential fav for this new year, Joss Stone.

The Smiths. Superb lyrics, masterful music, warped romanticism with a hint of tongue-in-cheek cynicism.

A song for every part of your life:

Just split up with your bird? Well I Wonder.
Just got a new bird? Hand in Glove.
Bird just been in an accident? Girlfriend in a Coma.

Radiohead and Pulp do come mighty close however.

Some fantastic bands and artists mentioned...

TOML - Guns 'n' Roses, November Rain. Use Your Illusions 1. It's a fantastic song, really heartfelt. It was played at my friends funeral in 1995. He was a massive G'n'R fan, and got me into their music, too.

BadCoverVersion - It's good to Scott Walker on this list... The Girls From The Streets is indeed 'beyond glorious' its a tune that just stays in your head for what feels like forever, as with most of his brilliant music...good choice [scrap that] Great Choice!

Palomino - Manic Street Preachers are genuinely fantastic.... great performers with real stage presence, and cool lyrics.

Just Exhumed - The Smiths 'a song for every part of your life' you know of course, this is a great title for a Greatest Hits Selection Box for them. Oh, and nice examples by the way!

Great work guys, keep them favourites coming in!

And the most inventive, distinctive and influential guitarist of the 1980s.

U2. From fresh faced teenagers to the War, Joshua Tree, Zoo TV, Pop and right up to the All That You Cant Leave Behind era, they have been amazing. Once the last pages are written in the book of music history they will be right up there as one of the greatest bands of all time.

counting crows, even if their latest offering did leave me with a sour taste in my mouth, fun lovin' criminals, eels or faithless. different reasons for each, but they all have some cracking albums, stand out tunes covering a range of styles and are superb live.

ryan adams & john mayer are my two current 'most played' after recently discovering them