How do you decide on new music to buy?

I listen to my buddy's new discs that he buys which he initially hears on World Cafe and other similar radio stations. Also, I listen to clips on Amazon.com or other internet sites.

Listen to music first, either at a friend's place or sample the cd on MP3 format. Gone are the days when you had to buy a cd blind! Currently, all my cd's are played... I don't have any of those that just sit at the bottom of the pile. Kthomas, I will try your method out also :)

Despite it's limitations, I'm a big fan of allmusic.com myself. Generally, I hear of an artist that I'd like to check out, and I use their recommendations to decide which albums to start with. As you said, not foolproof, because sometimes a group's "definitive" work isn't the thing I'd like best, but it beats a pure random selection. There are other good published guides for a variety of genres--my Penguin guide to jazz is heavily dogeared, and I've still got the first edition of the Rolling Stone guide to rock. The key is to find ones that conform with your own tastes--and then recognize that no two tastes can ever be the same, so eventually you have to experiment on your own.

Typically I've reached the point when at least one of the musicians in the new music I buy will be known to me or at least I know from what "hangout" these musicians are and under who's influence. There are record labels that I would certainly pay attention at the first glance such as Axiom, Subharmonic, Opal, Discipline, Spoon. 99% that I will take anything carying one of above said record labels.