larryw

How does everyone find new music? My taste is somewhat picky and I can't always say why I like one band and not another, I just know what I like. So it can be hard for me to find new music - my CD collection is deeper than it is wide.

I find the best way for me has been trying bands/artists that have some type of link (no matter how small). Like musians who've guested with another band, bands who've been covered by someone I like, even just an article where an artist mentions a band they like. You could probably create some kind of tree linking most of my CDs.

The other way is online forums/mailing lists - what other bands do fans like. This is not as successful but it works sometimes. One of the best resources I've found is the fan recommended music list on the phish.net site.

Yancey

Lots of reading and lots of shows. Just look for articles about new bands online, places like Pitchfork, and check them out. I also try and get out and see a show by some bands I am not familiar with at least once a month, just to be exposed to something new. It takes work to find new bands, but it's a lot of fun. I love turning my friends onto new stuff.

Bonkie

Sometimes word of mouth, but more often than not... just browsing in the store. Many stores in my area let you listen before you buy, so if I see something new that looks interesting, I'll give it a listen. I've discovered a ton of groups this way.

Nosebleed

I have a friend who works in a record store and is always bringing promo CDs and new CDs that he bought for us to listen to. I also download a lot of new stuff and if I like it, I buy it.

edclem

i download songs from new bands quite a bit.
i only very recently discovered both Iced Earth and Nightwish by downloading stuff from their record company's site.

Tscott

Starting around 1990 I used to record '120 Mins.' on MTV every Sunday night. The next day I'd watch the videos that interested me and fast-forward through all the crap. Some weeks I called the show 15 Mins. because that's how long it took for me to zap through it, but every once in awhile I'd see something new that I liked: Julianna Hatfield, Tori Amos, Shellyanne Orphan, His Name is Alive, Aphex Twin, Material Issue, The Breeders, Liz Phair, etc... I even remember seeing the first time they showed Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' before anyone outside of Seattle knew who they were.

Lately, though, I either track down artist that I've "heard of" but haven't yet "heard" (Velvet Underground, Brian Eno, Television, Todd Rundgren) or Jazz artists that I should hear more of (Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, Charles Mingus). I sample some of their music, and find what would albums interest me the most and start from there.

Or else I just read reviews in magazines or on-line. I like going to Amazon.com and searching for something I know I'll like and then looking at the recommendations or the user created lists that are associated with that item. Clicking on those links can lead me to some interesting albums I hadn't heard of before. Doing this, I found a few cool Irish/English folk violin albums that I never would've come across otherwise (BTW, check out Eliza Carthy's 'Red Rice' you won't regret it). Of course, once I've found something that interests me there, I check for it locally the next time I'm at a music store, then if I can't find it there, I check for the best price on-line.

mllefoo

I used to walk down the aisles at Tower alphabetically and I'd buy whatever bands had the funniest names, or the most twisted cover art. This is how I wound up with a Flaming Lips album (the band name was funny AND the album cover was twisted - a plate of pasta with a skull in the middle and egg yolks for eyes) and the Chameleons "Strange Times".

Now I just go on recommendations from friends.

SnoopDogg

I use Message boards like this, and others. I also use CD now's related artists thing. Download stuff first make sure I like it though.

Precious

Word of mouth mainly, more "new to me" than just breaking bands.