How about we all agree we like our own favorite music. It is way to easy to try to namedrop some random band trying to show you listen to underground indie rock or something. Then on the other hand, its easy to listen to whats being farted into your face from the radio and think its the best because its mainstream. I used to think I was special because i listen to stuff thats not on the radio and most kids dont listen to, but then you start to realise it doesnt matter in the end because everyone likes music and it means the same to them even if its crappy to you.
But about mainstream bands I have to admit im not down. I really do believe bands give up alot of their roots and uniqueness when recording a mainstream album. Best example - Modest Mouse - easily has created some of my favorite cd's (moon and antartica, long drive, lonesome crowded west..) and had such a unique quality to them. Then along came Good News and float on and I knew before this cd hit the stands that is would be huge, and not the same band I once loved. Now they were making music for the people, and not for themselves. If you listen to modest mouse and compare the last to cd's to the old ones, you will notice a huge difference. Once Epic Records took them on they just havent been the same. Good for Issac Brock, but not good for me. I still love modest mouse to death though, just not what they have been up to lately.