LOL!
Well, I guess everyone's entitled to their opinion, and what works for me doesn't necessarily work for you, and vice versa.
I've just been listening to "She's Got It Bad" by Simply Red, and that's a perfect example of what works for me. But like any preference, preference in music is a complicated beast, and like everyone else, I can only say that I like what I like.
The popularity of other styles proves that other people appreciate different qualities in music, and apart from strong "aural preception" (the ability to distinguish musical intervals and harmonies), there's nothing about me that makes my opinion any more or less valid than anyone else's.
I'm a bass player - part of the rhythm section, so I like music with a "groove that makes you move". That generally means a drummer, and preferably a funky or groovy one. I'm also a simple, practical person. So abstract music, like abstract paintings, by themselves, mean nothing to me.
Regarding the question of whether an artist can create _new_ feelings in their audience, I think it's possible. For me, many artists have created music that makes me feel things I've never felt before. I guess I've always been _able_ to feel that feeling, but that feeling had not yet been activated. I'm not sure whether that's a "yes" or a "no" answer to your question!
I love the Mark Twain quote. I've also heard Wagner's music described as having "wonderful moments... and awful half-hours"