Perhaps I've spent a bit too much time slumming around the East Village, but I've come to appreciate and enjoy a variety of different sounds that would probably come under the larger heading of 'Punk'. What they generally have in common is a certain intelligence, sense of tongue-in-cheek humorous irony, social commentary, and a counter-culture aspect. So it's largely a lot of local bands, like:

Velvet Mafia(www.velvetmafiatheband.com--they're pretty rad)
TUT
Navy(more like "electro-pop", I guess)
Formika
Gay Pimp
various and sundry CBGB-refugees, generally queer-centric bands.

I guess you could tie that to Whitney in that with both there's an emphasis on live singing. I prefer to watch the bands live than listen to the CD. Other reasons, too.

Others:

Melissa Etheridge(I'm The Only One, I Want To Come Over, etc)
kd Lang(Sexuality, Summer Fling, Miss Chatelaine, etc)
Meshell Ndegeocello(Leviticus:Faggot, Pocketbook, Earth.God.Fear.Money, etc)

I guess my political side loves all these queer acts. :p

I also have a big thing for gospel and rap. Again, I prefer watching live. I had the intense pleasure of helping talent scout for a record label last year and went to a lot of really awesome underground, unknown hip-hop clubs in the South. Ditto for gospel--there's nothing better than seeing it and watching the artist consumed with the Holy Ghost fire.

Whitney masterpiece I'm feeling at the moment: God Bless America, live in NYC in 1999. In this patriotic sequel to her legendary SSB performance, Whitney does what she does best: Combines earth-shattering power, clarity, and range, with a torn-from-the-gut gospelicious flair.