Sorry to break EVERYONE'S heart, but it's ALL opinion

And it just goes to show how the exact same thing is perceived differently by different people. To be honest, I'm kind of referring to modern styles by the big3... They have, IMO, gotten busier over the years.

And Ian, we've had this conversation before, but to repeat, there's a huge difference between turning the part off, and having the part just be sparser. You know the difference, I'm sure. Just think of some Berklee grad or shredfest student playing guitar in a band, or a seasoned studio guy. A guitar part IS being played, but the studio guy will be able to say what needs to be said in a MUCH more concise and less cluttered way.

Same thing with styles. You still NEED a guitar part, or horns, or a bass line. But how MUCH you need varies drastically for each player.

BTW, see Line 1. of this post...