I've been listening to this song pretty much on non-stop since yesterday:

Now, aside from the fact that the club/dance genre generally has less-than-par quality music, I am continually astouneded at how well Cascada does. I feel like every month they're coming out with a new track that generally is too catchy for my own good. 

They're not pushing any artistic boundaries, and their songs do sound remarkably similar ... but within this genre, they absolutely kick ass. Part of it has to do with the producer, but a lot of it has to do with the singer - her voice is perfect for this genre.

While Tupac was incredibly talented, I'm also convinced his success had to do with the fact that is voice was perfect for the genre he was in - it could be hard and spiteful ("Hit 'Em Up") but it could also be soft and wistful ("Dear Mama").

Akon's another example of this: he'll never be taken seriously as anything other than the West Indies-infused hip-hop artist. But within those boundaries, he does incredibly.

So I celebrate these artists, and their embrace of the limitations of their groups, and I applaud their excellence within their defined genres.