When You Buy The Whole Album And Only Like One Song.

I will usually listen to a full offering by an artist(s) at least four times before I decide if I like it or not; at least by artist in genres I like. Even on artist I like I find I might not immediately like a new release upon first listen. I've spent time thinking about perception and things familiar are easier to like. That 'one cut' you like is often because you've heard it a few times. For myself I generally find if there's a cut I like I end up liking the whole thing.

It is however one of the selling points for me in going full digital. Streaming saves me the money and the storage of albums that truly end up being clunkers as well as being able to explore so much more.

You guys don’t own any 7" 45’s? I have about 600 of ’em, mostly by "non-album" kind of artists (early-60’s). "Maybe" by The Chantels---a stupendous, glorious Pop masterpiece, later covered by Dave Edmunds on his fantastic second album Subtle As A Flying Mallet. "Halfway To Paradise" (written by Carole King & Gerry Goffin) by Tony Orlando (yeah, THAT Tony Orlando), covered in 1977 by Nick Lowe on his 3rd Stiff Records 45 (non-LP) in a fantastic version

Another reason to own 45’s: Some of them contain non-album songs (such as the Nick Lowe above), or alternate versions/mixes of album songs. The original 45 of Dylan’s "Positively 4th Street" was mis-pressed, and actually contains his first recording of "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window", a very cool song. One recording of the song was done with his NYC studio band, the other with The Hawks (later of course known as The Band).

7" 45 RPM singles are cool! So are 12", one great one being "Would I Lie To You" by The Eurythmics, a killer song with drumming by Clem Burke (Blondie) and excellent recorded sound quality.

@bdp24 Yeah, I agree about 45's. I've got a shoe box of them. The trouble is that a good half of them are terribly pressed. They can possess alarmingly spitty sibilants and surfaces as noisy as an old 78.. Center holes can be hilariously off-center, something that results in near nausea-inducing wow. Because you have to cue them up so far into the center of a rapidly-spinning turntable, getting your needle into the lead-in groove can be the equivalent of brain surgery. The lead-in groove is almost always extremely short, commonly an eighth of an inch. The lead-in groove is also often beveled in a direction that wants to send your multi-zillion dollar Lyra cartridge zooming out onto your not-exactly welcoming high-end turntable mat. Okay...  I'll stop now....

I have had that experience. I had pre-ordered the latest Roger Waters album, "Is This The Life We Really Want", what an utter disappointment. The entire album is pure rubbish. How many times does one have to say the F bomb in a song? I counted something like 12 or 13 times in one song. My wife was like that is the worst music she ever heard. It wasn’t just the swearing, it sounded like one big political statement that I don’t agree with, and had I known, I wouldn’t have bought it.

From my Avitar, its obvious I am a big fan of PF and all the individual artists within the band. I have everything they have done together and as individuals so when I say it's bad, trust me.  It is so bad, its embarrassing.

Even if you are a true music lover (many aren't) your musical taste buds must be trained just as your taste buds for food must be trained. The first time I heard Led Zeppelin in '69, I didn't care for it. But it touched something to the point that I said, "Lets play it again." I had the same reaction to every other Zep album, even though I am a big Zep fan and John Bonham protege.

That said, I still have not developed the taste for jazz and female vocals. I've tried and it just doesn't move me. So I don't buy anymore even though  Elusive Disk sends me emails with their latest audiophile music (jazz & female vocals) and tell me how fabulous it is. It isn't to me. Quite honestly it isn't to 98-99% of the US. But many audiophiles buy this stuff because they think the SHOULD like it. been there, ain't going back.I am a classic rock, blues  fan who bought my first album in 1963 (beach Boys Live) I had to train my musical taste buds at first,  to like most all the music on an album. I still like most all the music on an album I buy.

The question is are you listening to the right music? The right music is music you like, not necessarily what someone else thinks is posh or "sophisticated".