For the brief period that my brother sung in a crappy garage band, I told him he sounded exactly like the lead singer in Joy Division. He took it as a compliment. It was not.

I dunno - I like Ian's voice. I mean, I think it works for the band.

I have strange dislikes for certain vocalists. Ian Curtis, Thom Yorke (but I liked him on the Velvet Goldmine soundtrack), Mick Jagger ... oh, and the Ian Curtis clone who fronts Interpol. Ugh.

Do you like Tow Waits? Bob Dylan? Lou Reed?

Just curious, as those are probably the most commonly cited male vocalists when someone says "I hate his voice."

Let's see - who are the female vocalists that are polarizing? Victoria Williams? Maybe Kate Bush?

I love Tom Waits, I like Lou Reed, and I despise Bob Dylan. I adore Kate Bush ... aaaaand can't remember who Victoria Williams is.

Um, I waffle on whether or not I like PJ Harvey, but think Bjork and Tori Amos are awesome. I like Amanda Palmer. (Her music. I've had to stop following her on Twitter because it made me want to shake her and tell her to stop being a clueless idiot.)

Many adjectives (and adjectival phrases), good and bad, could be used to describe the music of Pink and the Sugababes. "Sickly sweet" is not one of them.

Word. Also, I'd like to see that reporter tell Pink that she's an "empty-headed diva" to her face.

I can't stand Dave Matthew's voice. And will turn the channel also if John Mayer comes on (he's way too breathy).

Voices I hated upon first hearing, but eventually grew to be among my favorites of all time: Joni Mitchell, Lucinda Williams, Rickie Lee Jones and Iris DeMent.

And I wish Eric Clapton would just stick to guitar.

Wow- when I head Joni Mitchell for the first time, I was completely smitten with her voice. It was so clear and pure. And I didn't hear her (except Help Me on the radio) until 1994ish, when I heard the album Court and Spark.

I adore Eric Clapton's voice, especially when it's growly. And I loved Joni and Ricki and Lucinda from the outset, too.

I still have a hard time with Dylan unless it's a song I really love.

The thing about my initial hearing of Rickie Lee and Joni was that I was working in retail, and they were part of the 8-track that the store (an Eddie Bauer, in the Bev Center in LA) played every day. And it was hearing "Chuck E's in Love" 400 times a day, and not really "getting it". And the Joni was "Help Me", which just didn't work for me at all until I heard the entirety of the album. So my entire view of their music was based on two songs, played over and over. As soon as I heard more than one song, and in the context of not folding sweaters, I adored both of them to bits.