My wife always had some reasonable tastes in western music though I've never really shared her liking for Neil Young. The one band she listens to a lot now are Canadian rockers  Rush. We do share some tastes in music but she doesn't like my collection of psychedelic rock and late 70's punk & alternative stuff. 

I love **Bob Marley** stuff     , Neil Young fan, Dire Straits, Led Zeppelin, Jim Croce, Joe Walsh (James Gang),

Bette Midler...James Taylor, T.Rex, Yes,  Uriah Heep ... and on and on and on so much good old stuff.

Yunhua cries for Whitney Houston ..

music is all about moods, and believe me, my mood changes daily .... glad it is not hourly.

Cos I'm such a loser, I've only ever had 1 Chinese girlfriend.. but one of the things that helped to get us together was our liking of Nightwish (though we disagree over the best lead singer!)

I've suggested other similar bands, but usually they fell flat (for some reason - there's not a hell of a lot of difference between them!)

Since I also like Queen, there is some interest/liking of them.

But, like some of you guys above, I tend more alternative than mainstream.... which in China, is just way too out there!!!

From an anthropologic standpoint, the introduction of the 4/4 meter was unsettling to the white man. Up until the 19th century, most accesible forms of popular music (besides classical) were based around the 3/4 meter or "waltz" time. During the Zulu wars, natives would beat war drums in 4/4 time as a prelude to battle, this scared the British senseless as it meant that the "black demons" were nearby. This is were Rock n roll earned the dubious title of "the devils music" since most forms of early rock n roll were based around the 4/4 meter.

Fast forward many years and you have the Chinese who, in the scheme of things have only recently been exposed to western music styles. Prior to this most Chinese were only familiar with the common one,two,one,two marching beat.

So I can understand why my neighbours complain when I play Primus, Zeppelin, Tool, Metallica etc. It's not necessarily the volume of the music that is off-putting (this is China after all) but more the rhythm they find unpleasant.

Before we met, my wife never had a particular interest in music.  Since then, she has been picking and choosing music she listens to in the house.  One night I caught her playing stuff on her phone that she had been exposed to thru me.   The Eagles, Adele, Jeff Buckley, Maroon 5, Ray Charles, Annie Lennox.   It seems she's into it.  But she can't quite get her head around my classical and jazz music. My daughter, on the other hand, is quick to dance to any Hip Hop / R&B stuff I play. She's a natural.

I dont talk to most Chinese (besides musicians) about music. 

Example...

"oh you like rock n roll music"

"yes"

"me too! Linkin park are my favourite!!"

At this point I usually vomit in my mouth

Admittedly, I am a bit of a music nazi. When I die and go to hell, I'm certain Lucifer himself will guide me to a KTV room and lock the doors.

My husband likes:

John Denver

Broadway songs

Rod Stewart

Celine Dion

Amy Grant 

I like:

the Kills

Black Keys

Interpol

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Franz Ferdinand

African music

Our younger son likes country music. 

Our older son likes electronica.

Long car trips are...interesting.

One time I did take my husband to an Alpha Blondy concert (reggae from Côte d'Ivoire,) which he surprisingly liked.

My Wife likes The Rolling Stones and AC/DC