Let's see, bands I respect... It's really, REALLY hard to actually respect artists this day and age. I mean almost every single person is entangled in something the media picks up so easily. I give Eminem credit though. He actually talks, in his music no less, about WTF happens to him in the media and the shit he's been through. Not very many secrets there.

Greg Graffin gets a few points from me too. I mean like or dislike Bad Religion... a Doctor, a teacher, two books out, and 30 years as one of the biggest punk rock legends? That's quite a combination. There's also Ron Thai (AKA Bumblefoot). He keeps an eye on his fans a bit, and can talk rather intelligently in spite of being the "replacement for Slash" in GNR. His work is always excellent as well.

There's also a lesser known acoustic artist named Josh Woodward. He's been in the free/pay as you like music business for the entire length of his career, which has been for quite a while for Creative Commons artists. He puts work into his music, for the sake of music. That gets so much respect that it's not even funny.