How much of a record must you hear before you decide to buy it.

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Inspired by this thread
I have to ask three questions:

> How many recommendations must you hear from friends before you consider buying an album you know nothing about?
> How many recommendations must you hear from critics before you consider buying an album you know nothing about?
> How many tracks do you have to hear before you decide whether or not to buy?
My answers as examples:
A > Two or Three
B > Three or Four
C > At least Three, either on radio, a listening booth or mp3.

/critics
― Lord Custos Epsilon (Lord Custos Epsilon), Monday, 25 August 2003 16:57 (twenty-two years ago)

A. Zero
B. Nada
C. Zilch

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Monday, 25 August 2003 17:15 (twenty-two years ago)

A. None. Fuck do they know?
B. Likewise, even more so.
C. Depends on the strength of the individual tracks. The strength of a single track can motivate me to buy the album.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Monday, 25 August 2003 17:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I mean, if it's got a dragon and a lady with big hey-heys on the cover, I'll buy it. If not, don't waste my time.

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Monday, 25 August 2003 17:21 (twenty-two years ago)

A. Depends on the friend. I have a couple of buddies with pretty good taste, so if they strongly recommend something, I'll at least give it a spin.
B. Becoming less and less important. Still, an album that engenders a groundswell of critical praise will at least pique my interest.
C. Like Alex NYC, I've picked up albums on the strength of just one song.

― Bruce Urquhart (Bruce Urquhart), Monday, 25 August 2003 17:22 (twenty-two years ago)

A. Rarely if ever do I buy on a friend's recommendation.
B. Well, if a particular critic will recommend it, I'll probably buy it.
C. Uh I usually buy *deaf.* (?!?)

― nathalie (nathalie), Monday, 25 August 2003 17:38 (twenty-two years ago)

A. Zero. I almost never buy stuff on a friend's recommendation.

B. I have learned to interpret several critics so that I can read any one of their reviews and be pretty sure I will/will not like a particular disc. Even if their review is bad, I might infer that I will love it. So often one critical opinion is all I need.

C. I don't have to hear any tracks at all, although I like to.

I also make exception from the above for Horace Mann's line of thinking.

― southern lights (southern lights), Monday, 25 August 2003 17:54 (twenty-two years ago)

Doesn't work out mathematically for me. Sometimes I don't hear enough, sometimes I've heard too much. Sometimes the right people/critics praise it, sometimes the wrong ones do. Sometimes it takes a LOT of hype and hailing, sometimes the album looks interesting enough I only need one friend or respected critic to give it a thumbs-up. Also helps if I can find it in town (the second I SEE the A.R.E. Weapons album somewhere I'll buy it).

― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Monday, 25 August 2003 18:00 (twenty-two years ago)

1) Depends a lot on the friend but usually one strong rec. is enough.

2) If 2 or 3 writers make it sound like something I'll like it'll prob. make my list.

3) Rarely hear any tracks before buying -- actually the more I download, the less chance of me spending money on it. Pretty rare that I'll buy something I hear on the radio -- I'm very comfortable having the song on the shelf at the station playing every couple hours or so.

― Mark (MarkR), Monday, 25 August 2003 18:09 (twenty-two years ago)

A) Some of my friends are more trustworthy than others, but for the most part their opinions have some merit. Still, I'd have to hear it first...

B) Many critics are too elderly to consider worthwhile (thanx fer the advice on the new Motorhead, Grandpa...), others are motivated by the latest trends, others would rather ramble on about subjects not related to the music to impress their readers, etc. Mostly it's all about the Big Takeover, since those guys just seem to love music, no hipster pretense, and no bullshit contempt for music fans and musicians.

C) Sometimes I don't have to hear a thing, but usually 2-3 songs will do it.

― ham on rye (ham on rye), Monday, 25 August 2003 18:26 (twenty-two years ago)

A.How many recommendations must you hear from friends before you consider buying an album you know nothing about?

None. I generally don't like the same music my friends do.

B. How many recommendations must you hear from critics before you consider buying an album you know nothing about?

None.

C. How many tracks do you have to hear before you decide whether or not to buy?

Of the last five things I bought, I heard a grand total of one song prior to buying. One of the artists I'd never even heard of 'til I saw his album whilst flipping through the racks.

― Vic Funk, Monday, 25 August 2003 18:27 (twenty-two years ago)

Seriously?

A) It's a good bet that my friends already have the CD they are telling me about, so I'll just ask 'em to burn me a copy. (Helpful since I'm currently in a musical desert). Don't always ask, but it helps to have the option.

B)Never. Why have a critic's paid opinion make a diffiernce to my $11.95?

C) Usually, if 4 or 5 tracks have blown me away, then I'll buy.

― Nichole Graham (Nichole Graham), Monday, 25 August 2003 19:04 (twenty-two years ago)

A. Depends on the person. I know that if I hear "you'll love this" from some people I know I'll hate it.

B. I have a pretty good success rate with certain critics liking/disliking something meaning it would be worth buying.

C. Most stuff I buy now or days I've heard it first.

― brg30 (brg30), Monday, 25 August 2003 23:35 (twenty-two years ago)

two years pass...

A) I dont find peoples opinions usefull at all

B) Critics are all but useless.

C) An album would need to be some degree of special for me to spend money on it, seeing ive never bought a cd in my life

― matt ghost, Monday, 22 May 2006 19:03 (nineteen years ago)

I am turning you in to the FBI for using Limewire.

― JW (ex machina), Monday, 22 May 2006 19:08 (nineteen years ago)

A) None. My friends occasionally recommend something good to me, but it's not a prerequisite or anything; the only time I'll act on the recommendation is if it's an album I was considering buying anyway.
B) Depends on the album. Usually just one or two. Or zero, if it's a new album I'm looking forward to and planning on buying anyway.
C) Totally dependent on the album. For new albums, I generally listen to at least two, but sometimes just one; for older albums that sound interesting because some artists I like get compared to the artists in question, none.

― bernard snow (sixteen sergeants), Monday, 22 May 2006 19:16 (nineteen years ago)

# > How many recommendations must you hear from friends before you consider buying an album you know nothing about?

My friends have shitty taste. (ILM excluded, but too diverse to trust) Fuck their opinions.

# > How many recommendations must you hear from critics before you consider buying an album you know nothing about?

One well-reasoned & described record may do it.

# > How many tracks do you have to hear before you decide whether or not to buy?

One, if it's really good or really bad. And if it isn't *really* good, I probably won't buy it - too much chaff in the collection already.

― dave's good arm (facsimile) (dave225.3), Monday, 22 May 2006 20:40 (nineteen years ago)

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