by Logan Anderson

Created on: December 04, 2006   Last Updated: April 01, 2007

Generally, music consumers are introduced to artists for the first time by a single song. Whether you catch end of a new song on the radio or you really enjoy a particular track on a mix tape given to you by a friend, you haven't even grazed the surface of that artist's catalog.

How much money have you wasted buying albums based on the quality of only one track? There are several places you should check for free sample downloads so you can make an educated purchase. The first place I go is the artist's official website. A quick Google search will normally help you locate the site within a few seconds. If the artist's name is a commonly used word like "Beirut" or "Stars," try appending the word "band" to the name when you search. Usually, the artist's page will have a few free MP3s from each of their albums available for free download. The record label's website is another great place to look for full tracks. For example, grindingtapes.org gives away new live and rare mp3s for free each month. Increasingly, musicians are posting complete audio files for stream and/or download on MySpace.com free of charge.

By now, you've probably heard three to four full songs from the album, but you can be sure they're the most popular ones. Check out Amazon.com or iTunes for 30-second clips of every track from the album. By now, you've developed a decent impression of the album and you haven't even spent a cent. Fully-investigated music purchases will remain in regular rotation in your CD player for years to come instead of in the local record store's used bin.

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