I have spent hours trying to figure out whether or not straight-up rock music even exists anymore. My sources are telling me that it's not happening lately.

Some may think that Korn, Slipknot, Limp Bizkit, and all of those other media-created-cheese-core bands are the revival of rock...wrong. True music lovers can tell the difference between talent and embarrassment.

I am in no way saying that all mainstream bands lack musical talent. Here are a few bands played on the radio that I enjoy: Radiohead, Wheatus, Blink182, Tori Amos, Matchbox20, Dave Mathews Band, Stroke9, Third Eye Blind, N'sync, Elliott Smith, Incubus, Fiona Apple, Bjork, Deftones, A Perfect Circle, and, of course, the Foo Fighters.

I know that I may sound closed-minded...but I'm not. There are many genres of music right now that keep me going everyday.

My preference is primarily pop-rock. I have a tough time finding that straight-up rock sound though. I could only consider a few good bands in the genre as of today - one of which is Jimmy Eat World - who, in fact, is my all-time favorite band and the most talented band I have ever listened to.

The music I love is the music that makes me love. The songs that make me think, cry, laugh and understand are the songs that shine a true reflection of what music is supposed to be. The songs that speak truth in a thousand stories, all in one is what music is about, not the songs that speak of money, girls, drugs and violence. That is at the risk of sounding cheesy, but it's how I feel.

Do I like rap? Heck yes I do, but not most of the rhyming that has been on local radio stations lately. I am sure that we all agree that A Tribe Called Quest is one of, if not, the greatest rap group of all time. Maybe not the Anthology, but the low end theory...need I say more? Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre are an integral part of the rap scene today and everyday. Did I forget any others? Probably, but I will not end this thought without giving a shot out to Slick Rick because he has some of the best flow I have ever witnessed.

Further Seems Forever, Mogwai, Phish, Weezer, Saves the Day, the Rocking Horse Winner, Lake Trout, Ultimate fakebook, Braid, Jawbox, Far, the Cure, Twothirtyeight, Glassjaw, and Slick Shoes are all bands that I would recommend out of all genres. But I know I missed a few...

We can not live without music, and this is the obvious truth. Everyone has their own preference - this is mine.