Buying music: Tried and tested or new and different

[Atticus]

This is something I often consider when buying new music. Do I want to get something by an artist I'm already familiar with, or try something new?

If I buy something I'm already familiar with, I can usually be sure I'll enjoy it, even if the sound shifts from one album to another. It's less adventurous, but I can still discover songs I would have missed otherwise.

On the other hand, if I try something new, I might find something totally different and cool, but it might not latch on as well. Sure, I can research the artist on Youtube or another website, but unless the album is huge only the singles will come up consistently. It requires a bit more risk, but the payoff can be very worthwhile.

So, what do you do?

[markjazzbassist]

i research before i go buy. i use allmusic.com all the time to read bios, album notes, album credits (who played on it), and listen to clips.

then i decide if it's worth buying or not. i then have a master list on my iPhone of what i want to buy.

i think about it this way: buying a record is like voting, i'm telling the labels what is worth my money and what's not. i'm informed when i vote, so why shouldn't i be when i buy music?