Yes, what Bill said.
If you try to make a living playing music, you have to do what the audience likes.
I actually do a few jazz songs. The audience just sits there and talks to one another. In general, they want to hear songs for which they know the words and can hum along if they wish, and that they can dance to. Jazz buffs are are very small minority.
There are good songs in all genres, just as there are good people of all religions and races. Like Bill, I can listen to 15 minutes of jazz, and maybe 30 of Blues, and they all start sounding the same.
As far as Country, there is slow country, sappy country, fast country, complicated country and simple country. I don't want to hear 3 hours of any one thing. Listen to a few songs from Asleep At The Wheel and you'll find elements of jazz, blues, swing AND country. Maybe the problem is that we have too many labels???
Good discussion anyway, even though I don't watch Idol.
DonM