Yeah, we all love music, but when we break it all down, what really makes a song especially great to you? Vocals? Lyrics? Certain instruments? Catchiness? Etc.?

Personally my favorite thing about music is bass, and I don't know why, but when songs have a good bass line or a lot of bass, it just makes them better for me. Probably the reason why I prefer to lsiten to music on my computer or in a car, because I can crank up the bass as high as I want.

Good lyrics are a plus too. Sometimes I don't mind, but if the lyrics are painfully stupid, I just can't take it sometimes.

I do not find strings in every single song but if a song happens to have strings, I most of the time end up preferring it over others. As for songs in general, I guess it really depends on the mood but perhaps rhythm or lyrics.

For me its a mixture of what you mentioned. - (The beat, vocals, and sometimes the instruments - such as Yellowcard having a violen in the band.)

I guess I like bands that aren't afraid to push the envelope, change up their style with each album...
Korn, Marilyn Manson, Deftones, Incubus, Tool, nine inch nails. Those are some of the only bands in mainstream rock that I even care about, because they aren't boring, and they don't necessarily fit in with any other bands on the radio, which is a breath of fresh air from all the Fall out Boys and Nickelbacks and whatever is being overplayed.

I really don't care about lyrics or catchiness, but everything else can make or break a song.
Keyboards/synths rule, too.

I can't say what makes music good for me, it depends on my mood. But, I do agree on the lyrics (and vocals) - if the lyrics are 'stupid', offensive, lame or embarrassing then it ruins the song for me. Also, I hate it when I love the music in a song but the vocals then ruin it because they don't go with it or sound weak and strained. Obviously you get music where the vocals contrast the genre anyway and that is either intentional or not but actually compliment each other (think some metal with operatic vocals) but then you get great music where the vocals just annoy the hell out of you, not because they're necessarily bad but they're just irritating i.e. Symphony X or where the vocals just can't keep up with the speed or power of the song. It's even worse when the music is good but the vocals AND the lyrics are annoying i.e. Hammerfall.

All about the beats. I could care less about the lyrics. I think that's all I can think of at the moment. I guess the rythmn also.

lyrics, the beat and vocals, of course.

well, i like britney but i don't like "do somethin", 'cause it's almost impossible hear her voice in the music.

1. Lyrics
2. Beats
3. Vocals
4. Instruments
5. Other intangibles

Orchestra especially when its in a song like Britney's "I Run Away", Mya "Fallen" etc

1. Vocals (if the person cant sing, im not gonna bother to listen to the song)
2. Beats
3. Lyrics
4. Overall catchiness
5. Instruments

I honestly never pay attention to any of these things, basically if the song entartains me then I'll like it.
I do prefer songs I can relate to, though.