[Most important]

Message (Social Commentary, Story, Personal Experience, Vocabulary used, Poetry)

Instruments (Mix it up and use a synthesizer)

Innovation (How different is it than anything else I've liked?)

Structure

Effort

Vocal quality

Run time

Editing

Pandering to a demographic >:(

[Least important]

I think good music is something worth remembering. Although I enjoy [sometimes] today's hit music, I don't consider it great music. I think great music is the kind of music that can survive many years and still be recognized by a lot of people, like the music of the Beatles, or Beethoven, the Rolling Stones, etc. It is not set to just one genre of music, but is possible for all types (except maybe rap, since it's just not music...) For music to truly be great, for all people, it must have a future in the world.

Personally, I love rock of all types. So give me some rock albums and I'll probably be happy. :)

For a second definition on great music, it unites people. People will gather around at huge concerts for the best music, which usually has a message for the people. I think this is important: for music to promote unity in society and preach good values to the people that listen to it.

i would definetly say that it has to survive the test of time. such as Nirvana's "smells like teen spirit". it has survived over ten years and i still love that frickin' song!! this is also fitting because no rap song lasts more than two months before someone copies it or comes out with something better. oooh, freak on a leash is also still cool. (Korn) good music also has to have a great rhythm, beat, and vocals. it has to please your brain. this all helps it stand the test of time.

if i can enjoy it more than once.

for instance, I can listen to system of a down a million times, so i know that they are more than just a preference (i like all kinds of music, so i don't go by preference).

but, Beyonce's music is mainly just catchy songs that quickly get annoying. The style itself is alright, so i know i haven't found a style that i don't like, it's just that Beyonce isn't a musical genius or anything... she sucks. although, there was a study that says that stupid people listen to Beyonce... so that's probably why i hate her music.

well i guess good music has to be relaxing and has to have a positive message, I really hate those songs that make you feel depressed and that talk about drugs and sex and just all this lame stuff. I personally enjoy uplifting songs of hope and of perseverance that let you know that life might be hard but that there is still hope. Thats why i only listen to worship songs and christian music, because it talks about hope , love and life and about regaining strenght, and personally i break down whenever im having a bad day, i feel like i regain strenght and the longing to keep going

Metal, Rock, Screamo, Punk whatever you want to call it METAL is the king of all genres, if you dont like regular metal, then you have you faster and more brutal thrash metal with bands such as slayer, metallica and anthrax, if thats not your cup of tea then youve got you shock rock( alice cooper, w.a.sp) or your death metal bands like Deicide, morbid angel, carcass and cannibal corpse or youve got grundge ( nirvana), Black metal (Dimmu Borgir) or a more melodic black metal or nu metal and the list is endless! there is a genre of metal for everyone!!!

Creativity, honesty, and beauty. Music is good if it honestly expresses human ideas and emotions. And it really ought to be creative and well-written. :) It should be beautiful, not necessarily by hitting the right notes, but in it's expression. So yeah, man. :]

Music that makes sense. Music that is normal.

Music that will not annoy humans' pets.

Music that will not damage your surroundings.

The music I like is uplifting and makes me happy when I listen to it. I really don't base it on message or lyrics.

Everyone is different it depends on who you are.

When I say uplifting and happy I'm not just talking about music that is classified as happy. To me rock could be uplifting.

Piano rock is actually my favorite, like Jack's Mannequin, Relient K etc.

I'm hard of hearing, so my definition of what is good music, is specifically suited to myself and what I can hear. And what makes good music to me is basically the rhythm, melody and/or beat of a song. Lyrics really mean nothing to me because I don't hear them at all and I'm lucky if I can even recognize the vocals in a song. If I do hear vocals that mostly make the song though, instead of instruments, it better be pretty friggin harmonic... like, Mariah Carey's vocals. Amazing. It's really just the overall combination of sound to me... does it make me "feel" something without knowing what it's really about? Then I'll like it.

Originality, and effort.

Too many musicians today are so utterly fake, it breaks my heart.

I'll say this.

A musician, who writes his or her own music, and enjoys what they do, is alright in my books, even if what they play is so bad it makes my ears bleed.

I think good music is music that has something original, something surprising, something memorable. But I also think that it also depends on what music styles you like.

Good music is in the mind of the beholder. For me, Trance music is good because it mesmerizes me.

A good structure. Music with many layers. Now they can't just be ten layers thrown on top of each other pell-mell! These layers have to be organized, and they also need to be instruments that sound good with each other. If you put a violin, a banjo, and an electric guitar, and have them all playing different riffs, the violin playing classical, the banjo folk, and the guitar hard rock, it's not gonna work!!