Music

I listen to music primarily for one of two reasons; either I like the way it sounds, or I like what the message is. In the former category, we have artists like Disturbed, Linkin Park, Megadeth, Metallica, Five Finger Death Punch, Bullet for my Valentine, Judas Priest, and various other loud, aggressive bands. I love me some good heavy metal. Music that gets the ol' adrenaline surging is great. Problem is, these bands have a tendency to sing one of just 6 basic songs:

1. I hate myself, and want to die.
2. I hate you, die.
3. Whoa, man. These drugs are something else.
4. I'm quite evil, you know.
5. I like sex.
   
6. I hate authority.
   

On the other end of the spectrum, we have artists like Johnny Cash, Toby Keith, Daryl Worley, Martina McBride, Aaron Tippin, Brad Paisley, Petra, Whiteheart, and other country singers and Christian rock bands. These bands have a much different set of songs, and it's much longer:

1. I love my spouse/family, and am very committed to them.
   
2. I love my country.
3. Singing is the best job ever.
4. My love life is pretty crummy.
5. Life can really throw some curveballs at you.
6. There is injustice in this world. Why don't we fix it?
7. I love God.
8. Let me tell you this funny story...
   

I really wish I could somehow combine the music of set A with the values of set B, because then I'd have what I would consider the Best Music Ever; a metal band with Country Lyrics. On second thought, only 2 and 6 would probably work in that mix....

Every once in a while one of the heavy bands tosses out something I really like lyrically (the title track off of Disturbed's latest album Indestructible is a perfect example of this) but the overlap is too few and far between. The closest I get is Hammerfall, and while I'd only rate their songs a 6 or 7 at best in either category, they often get it in both.

What this world needs is a good, talented, conservative rock band.