When it comes to tires..it really is a very subjective topic. IMHO, people do not drive it to the limit enough to REALLY tell the difference between tires of the same category. Most of the time you'll hear people saying "yeah X brand is quieter" or "Y brand has more grip in Z condition", all of these are anecdotal at best with many other factors not considered.
But like all the other sifus mentioned, tires are the main thing keeping your car on the road. You will have to identify what is important to you when looking for tires. Is it longevity? dry traction? wet traction? noise? comfort level? price? brand? After you've weighed your needs, then you look for a tire that best suit your requirements.
Generally, a long lasting tire (i.e hard compound) will have less traction compared to a ultra high performance (UHP) tire which generally has softer rubber. Harder sidewalls (performance tires) will give a slightly harsher ride than those with squishy sidewalls (passenger tires). Performance tires will generally be slightly noisier than passenger tires, but if you're opting for performance then the noise probably isn't gonna bother you much.
The brand will basically give you peace of mind because you can expect them to have a certain level of quality which corresponds to the brand's reputation, but what is more important is comparing the TYPE of tires. For example if you compare a Michelin Energy XM2 to a Nexen N8000 in terms of traction then the Nexen N8000 will definitely have an edge because the N8000 is a UHP tire while the XM2 is a passenger tire. Nexen is cheaper while the Michelin is premium priced.
It all boils down to choosing the right type of tires based on your needs, based on your driving style, your financial means, your preference etc etc. I hope this little blurb helps in your decision making process, I can relate to how frustrating it is trying to decide on the 'right' tires for your car.
