[b][i][u]Country[/u][/i][/b] Over the years most 'Country' music is just knock off and embellished 'Pop' music. The only major difference is that they exaggerate a nasally tone and the elongation of the letter 'R" in words to give the 'Country' twang to their genre. The instruments do not have all that different sound anymore, for they have opted away from the use of the tortured cat (Hawaiian/Steel) guitar. Moreover, many recent songs from country artists are plagiarized ROCK songs and also even last year there was an investigation into the manufacturing of a country hit. It appears that 4 of the top songs were all written in the exact same tempo, scale, nearly note for note, chorus, but only changing the words and by not too much. They were just all done by different 'artists' (read: performers), so they sounded enough different that not everyone (read: the simple minded music listeners) did not readily pick up on it. It's almost as if they've run out of talent and ideas. But how many songs can you make about tractors, pick up trucks, jilted hick lovers, your dog, and a plastic beer cup? [b][i][u]Rap[/u][/i][/b] Where to start... Granted I have not heard all there is in rap, for I can't stand it. What I have heard of it; Overall I despise with a passion the message of the majority of the rap music that has been made (inb4notallrapisnegative, I said majority, not all) (inb4rapisntnegative, what of it do you listen to?). All wanna be rappers all go for the same formula that they see that made it big somehow. Guns, intimidation, disrespecting most everyone, drugs, alcohol abuse, abusive sexual practices against women, and just plain ego on steroids. Before anyone says 'Well ,that is the same thing as sex, drugs, and rock & roll'. I'll stop you here. That's not HOW S,D, R&R worked. Sex and drugs were synonymous with the Hippie generation where rock took off, but it wasn't meant as the rappers use it. In that era it was about peace and 'love', but not really love.... different discussion. Now, couple that with the lack of any real musical content. To be more high brow they add 3 piano notes repetitively to a song, like that somehow elevates it. The background music is so predictable. Then import techno noises, which does nothing more than make the repetition even worse. The delivery of the words tends to be angry and yelled. (Again.... not all, but too much does) [b][i][u]Hip Hop[/u][/i][/b] It's not the worst of the 3, but I won't go out of my way to listen to it either. It all seems manufactured. So much of it seems to be whiny, man boys trying to act tough while warbling 8 notes per second to his love target of the moment. Pouring out his affection for her (body), even though he is not aware of her name. It at least has some form of musical content that could be listened to, but the manufactured aspect of that tends to kill it, if the words don't nauseate you first. [b][i][u]Pop[/u][/i][/b] FAKE, FAKE, and FAKE It is filled with performers brought in because of how they look rather than any possible musical ability. Scantily clad eye candy gyrating while the song, written by a 40-something over weight, bald guy plays in the background by studio musicians. It all follows a manufactured component that all 'hits' are derived from. The performer, who can't carry a tune in a bucket, is auto tuned to sound somewhat on key. Then out of ego the performer does all manner of publicity nonsense, sometimes losing their minds, and becoming drug addicts because of the pressure put upon them to stay on top. There are a few Pop performers out there who really do have talent, write their own stuff, and play their own instruments. They are the minority of this genre. Back in the day all genres of music were made by individuals or bands, writing, playing, and performing their own work. To me, that is when music meant something more than it does today. Heck, some innovators created the very equipment and instruments they played. That isn't saying it still doesn't exist. You just don't see the likes of Boston, Van Halen, Grand Funk Railroad, ELO, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Chuck Berry, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Blondie, GnR, The Beatles, Clapton, Rush, Queen, Michael Jackson, Motown in general, and for the record Barry Manilow and the Carpenters, many, many bands and artists from the 60's - 90's, but all that changed the face of music somehow. Hit makers that made their own songs (maybe not all Motown). Even Country bridged the gap into Pop for a time (mid-70's), and it didn't suck. Just the entire environment has changed. This was therapeutic.