It is pretty common knowledge that there are different levels of roasting coffee beans.  There are three major categories such as light, medium, and dark roast coffee.  Each different type of roast produces coffee with a distinct flavor.  Therefore, you will choose to particular most level that you like based on the type of flavor that it produces.

All coffee beans start out green.  They will change colors slowly as the roasting process moves along.  The main difference between light roasted and dark roast coffee is the amount of time that the beans are roasted.  The particular roasting temperature can have an effect too.

A shorter roasting time is used to produce light roast coffee.  If you know anything about the roasting process, then you will know that the beans produce sounds the longer they're in there.  For light roast coffee, the beans are usually removed soon after the first crack is heard.

Roasting removes acidity from the beans.  Since light roast coffee isn't roasted as long, it will have a higher acidity level.  The body of this particular type of coffee is also lighter.  The main benefit of light roast coffee is that the flavors are much more pronounced.  The factors that influence the taste of the beans such as soil and weather won't be broken down by the roasting process.

Since the flavor of the beans is more important for light roast coffee, high quality Arabica beans are usually preferred.  Kona beans  make for great likely roasted coffee too.  Robusta beans are usually lower grade so they are usually paired with darker roasted blends.  Thanks to shorter roasting times, the roasting flavor won't be as pronounced with light roast coffee.

Light roast coffee is one of the main categories.  However, coffee that falls under this category is called many other names too.  One of the main other names is cinnamon roast.  Other common labels associated with this type of coffee include half-city, New England's style, and light city.

New England roast usually offers slightly less body flavor.  Beans with a city roast are a bit more darker than New England roast beans.  Therefore, city roast beans offer slightly more flavor without any flavor from the roasting process factoring into the equation.

Everyone has their own preferences.  You'll find just as many people who prefer light roast coffee as you do who prefer the other categories.  If you're interested in the most flavor from the original beans, then light roast coffee is definitely the way to go.