by Mel Bergen

Created on: February 09, 2007   Last Updated: February 20, 2007

Music files, or mp3s, are widely available on the Internet for nearly nothing. To expand your taste in music, invest time listening to samples and follow breadcrumb trails from a song or artist that you know you like to something upon which you'd never have stumbled on your own.

Start at a site that sells mp3s, such as Amazon.com or eMusic. These kinds of sites offer two ways to find new music that you may enjoy.

First, find a song that you love. At most on-line music stores, there will be links on the page for that song to recommendations from other people that include your favorite. Pick one of these lists and try a few songs by artists to whom you've never listened. You can follow a chain of these and end up with wonderful music that you would never hear on commercial radio.

Second, look at lists of the most popular songs in a category with which you are unfamiliar. Pick something like World Music and take a listen to a few samples; wander over to Jazz or Opera and listen to a few more. Think of a group or a style you've wondered about, like Zydeco or The Buena Vista Social Club. Hunt down remakes of an old standard. Find a name that intrigues you. Get an idea of what's out there.

If you like what you hear, download the song and listen to the whole thing. You'll be spending less than $1 for what may be a whole new world of music. Take a chance! With some services, you pay a monthly fee for a certain number of downloads. That means that you pay dime or a quarter for each song. There is no rule against deleting a song that you hate.

Ask your friends and family for recommendations. Listen to different radio stations, as well, to find a wider variety of music. Find out if your local National Public Radio Station carries The World Cafe, which is heavy on British and American music but does carry pieces from everywhere.

Visit on-line radio stations, like LastFM or Pandora Radio. There, you can listen to a wide variety of music at no cost. Again, start by finding a favorite artist or song. These on-line services will then play songs that share many characteristics with the starting point. You can also explore the play lists of other users to explore further.

Like anything, expanding your musical tastes requires you to invest a little time educating yourself. The rewards are as big as this planet we live on, and at these prices, experimentation is practically mandatory.

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