My favorite genre is symphonic metal, and my all-time favorite band is Nightwish. I mostly listen to female-fronted bands and ones that aren't necessarily what most people think of when they think of metal as a genre.

Lately, though, I've also been listening to some pop music, especially Owl City. I really like the imagery and creativity that go into their lyrics. Sarah McLachlan is one of my favorite artists too, although I'm not sure exactly what genre she would be classified under.

Overall I think I just pay a lot of attention to lyrics in music. A lot of the metal bands I listen to have poetic and well-written lyrics (especially Nightwish); I'm a writer myself, so I guess I sort of subconsciously seek out music that will give me inspiration for my own work.