Update:
Ripped a CD to my computer as MP3 format. Put onto the droid and it still stopped after about the same amount of time.
Audiogalaxy did not sync with all of the music in my "my music" folder. WTH?
Applanet doesn't have anything different from my market, actually, the search is MUCH shittier and yields less results.
Droidforums clearly doesn't have as many trolls as CR does... hours have gone by and my thread only has 6 reads. no replies in the sub forum for hours. weak.
if it's not resolved by the weekend i'll be in the verizon store, again.