What are your current music-listening habits?

[425]

This is an experimental thread idea I had which, if it works, could become a perennial thing like the album and song threads.

The idea is to have a thread to discuss what you've been listening to for the last few weeks or months. Are you exploring new artists? Following new releases? Spending a lot of time with an old favorite? This is sort of a catch-all thread to talk about those things and potentially share thoughts and recommendations.

It's a little broader than the "What album are you listening to" thread, but a little more focused than the general discussion thread that was tried a few months back. And it's certainly not intended to replace posting in an artist-specific thread when you get into them, but it could be a supplement to that for less-frequently discussed artists.


I'll go first to give an example of what I have in mind: I've largely been in discography-exploration mode for the last several months. I have a few artists that I've gotten pretty interested in, and I've been working my way slowly through their discographies. I tend to explore discographies pretty slowly, getting one or two albums at a time and really immersing myself in them before moving on to more. I'm midway through ongoing discography explorations on Evergrey, Epica and Amorphis (all of whom I've been working on for close to a year now), and I've recently started in on Unleash the Archers and Big Big Train. So I'm definitely also very much in prog mode, as I have been for the last several years, really.

I'm also in a moderately heavy DT phase, the heaviest one I've been in for years, thanks to the release of the new album (which I like a lot, whereas DoT disappointed me), the LNF Archive releases, and Kev's DT ranking thread.

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

Cool thread idea.

So a while back I made a playlist of all the songs in my library that I like to sing along to. I've been working my way through it. It has a little over 4000 songs on it, so it's been a little slow going. I've mostly been listening to it while driving for work.

I've also been creating yearly playlists of my favorite songs from my favorite albums of each year. This was started with the retro albums of the year thread that was started a while back. I'm currently listening to my 2002 playlist and working on compiling my 2003 playlist. I mostly listen to these playlists while I'm at home with my headphones on.

[Ben_Jamin]

Recently I've been using Spotify to make playlists. I am also trying to listen to new albums released by artists. And also, I am listening to artists I have never heard of, or have heard of them but never listened to their music. I forgot about some albums being released and have finally gave those a listen, such as Toehider's new album "I Like It" which is an amazing album.

Since my Fiio's USB plug in port decided to not want to read the device on my laptop anymore, it still charges though so that's good, I haven't been able to upload some albums onto it, so it's why I also use Spotify for.

I am currently looking for a music player that can hold 2 microUSB's as I also like to have all my music with me, especially when I drive. I like to go on a drive, put my music player on shuffle and enjoy the music while I cruise places. It also helps me on those long out-of-state drives, usually to go see shows.

[HOF]

Interesting idea. So I've been listening to lots of Rush, including a playlist of the top 75 song list I put together for Kev's thread. Also whenever I play in a roulette I put my submissions in a playlist and I've been listening to that a good bit (and songs that I've been considering submitting). Those are the type of things I wouldn't necessarily be doing if not for the forum.

Other than that, I'm always cycling through my most recent 5 or so purchases. Sometimes more or less. Usually the physical CDs are in my car and sometimes that's where they get their most focused listens.

[Revenge319]

I've been listening to The Dear Hunter and almost nothing else for this past month. Usually when I marathon a band's discography, I listen to them once before moving on. But because my main interest is in the Acts, I've decided to continuously listen to each album before moving on to the next. To give my brief thoughts on each Act:

Act I is pretty good, but feels too short with there being five proper songs and three very short ones. Act II is awesome except for Red Hands, which is probably my least-favorite song from the band. Act III took a while to grow on me, but I like it a lot now. Act IV is really great. Act V is even better than Act IV, and I haven't yet listened to it as much as the other albums.

Once I'm over my current Act V obsession, I'm most likely going to finish up my marathon of The Flower Kings' discography that I started a long while ago.

[Zydar]

A few weeks ago I did a deep dive into the Big Big Train discography. I'd only heard a few songs here and there before, but now I really went through their albums (from 2009 and onwards). They've quickly become one of my favourite bands. I'll take a break from them now for a while, and then check out their albums before David Longdon joined.

[Crow]

i have had three consistent music listening habits for like the last few years basically

1. albums i already own get played mostly during my work hours for about a month before i swap them out for other ones
2. check out new releases every friday/weekend, revisit them at some point in the next week or two and decide if i wanna buy them
3. checking out individual songs in aggregate as prep for my youtube videos - usually pop chart stuff but not always

[soupytwist]

I've been listening to The Dear Hunter and almost nothing else for this past month. Usually when I marathon a band's discography, I listen to them once before moving on. But because my main interest is in the Acts, I've decided to continuously listen to each album before moving on to the next. To give my brief thoughts on each Act:

Act I is pretty good, but feels too short with there being five proper songs and three very short ones. Act II is awesome except for Red Hands, which is probably my least-favorite song from the band. Act III took a while to grow on me, but I like it a lot now. Act IV is really great. Act V is even better than Act IV, and I haven't yet listened to it as much as the other albums.

Once I'm over my current Act V obsession, I'm most likely going to finish up my marathon of The Flower Kings' discography that I started a long while ago.

You should move to 'The Color Spectrum' after you've finished with the Acts. 

[425]

I've been listening to The Dear Hunter and almost nothing else for this past month. Usually when I marathon a band's discography, I listen to them once before moving on. But because my main interest is in the Acts, I've decided to continuously listen to each album before moving on to the next. To give my brief thoughts on each Act:

Act I is pretty good, but feels too short with there being five proper songs and three very short ones. Act II is awesome except for Red Hands, which is probably my least-favorite song from the band. Act III took a while to grow on me, but I like it a lot now. Act IV is really great. Act V is even better than Act IV, and I haven't yet listened to it as much as the other albums.

Once I'm over my current Act V obsession, I'm most likely going to finish up my marathon of The Flower Kings' discography that I started a long while ago.

I got very much obsessed with Act V a couple of years ago. There's plenty that I like on the other ones, but V is the one that really comes together for me as a full album experience.

The Flower Kings falls into a category of listening that I didn't mention in my first post: There are a few artists that I've been working my way through very, very slowly over the course of years. They tend to be ones that I like listening to occasionally, but haven't really gotten into an intense phase with. I think I'm at four Flower Kings albums. With their new one coming out soon, I might try getting into the new one and an older one simultaneously.

A few weeks ago I did a deep dive into the Big Big Train discography. I'd only heard a few songs here and there before, but now I really went through their albums (from 2009 and onwards). They've quickly become one of my favourite bands. I'll take a break from them now for a while, and then check out their albums before David Longdon joined.

I'm finding that their music really rewards repeated listens. So far, I've spent time with The Underfall Yard and Common Ground. With Common Ground especially, my experience definitely was the first 3-4 times thinking "this is pretty good, but not outstanding" and then suddenly having it really click at about the 5th or 6th play.

[Zydar]

With Common Ground especially, my experience definitely was the first 3-4 times thinking "this is pretty good, but not outstanding"...

This is my experience so far with the last three albums (Grand Tour, Common Ground, Welcome To The Planet). Pretty good stuff, but I prefer the albums from 2009-2017 at the moment.

[Grappler]

I'm always looking for new music to listen to - whether it's a new album from a band I love, or a band that is completely new to me.

As for what I listen to, I usually go on full music binges.  It might be a style (thrash, prog metal, etc.) and I'll listen to nothing but that specific style of music for a full week or two.  Or it might be a few bands, where I'll run through EVERYTHING I have from that band for a week straight. 

After a couple of weeks, I'll get tired of those and then move onto something else, where I'll read something about a band or album, which spurs an interest in hearing their music after having left their albums on the shelf for a substantial period of time.  Then the big binge starts with those bands/albums in a never-ending cycle.

[Evermind]

I feel like I'm slowly falling out with most metal and prog for some reason. The albums I enjoyed a few years ago bring almost no joy anymore. I've been trying to listen to some new stuff but most of it doesn't do it for me. I've been listening to five different albums each week since New Year and the only one that really stuck is F♯A♯∞ by Godspeed You! Black Emperor.

I liked Anneke van Giersbergen latest album and still listen to it often. I'm spinning some acoustic Katatonia, Antimatter, that Hypno5e acoustic album and Arstidir. Actually most of the time these days I will pick something acoustic instead of heavy. I've also been into The Pineapple Thief lately. I also kinda enjoyed that D'Virgilio, Morse, Jennings - Troika thing, a couple of tracks were quite good.

[Phoenix87x]

Currently its mostly electronic, syth wave type of stuff or lo fi hip hop and beats.

Anything chill is where I like to be. Besides that the newest bands I've gotten into are the R&B artist H.E.R and 311 (who I am just now getting into).

I do follow new releases, but they are no longer automatic buys. I'll give it a chance, but if its lackluster I just move on, even if its from a favorite band.

[hefdaddy42]

Each Saturday I compile a list of the top new releases based on info from multiple trusted sources (DTF being one of them) and listen to them throughout the upcoming week.

I also typically pick 3 or 4 classic artists and proceed through their discographies (currently Yes, Genesis, and Jethro Tull).

I am also working my way through a list of albums nominated for the upcoming Grammy Awards in multiple categories.  Almost done with those.

In between all of that, I listen to various playlists or favorite artists/albums; just whatever strikes my fancy.

[SoundscapeMN]

recently, it's been largely to refresh my mind about for my YouTube channel.

Mostly per YouTube or Spotify sadly ..and at times Bandcamp.

that and often new albums or newly suggested albums/bands that I probably listen to more per my flash drive in my car than any other way.

I also listen to specific radio shows: American Top 40 the 80's every Sunday afternoon via KOWZ and Friday Nights: KOWZ's "Rock and Roll Classifieds" and KFAI's "Crap from the Past."

[KevShmev]

Even though prog is probably my favorite genre, I listen to tons of other kinds of music, and as time goes on, prog is getting a lot less time in my "CD player" than years past.  I still enjoy the prog albums as much when I do listen to them, but I simply do not listen to them as much.

This will invite cracks from the peanut gallery, but my default artist for about a year now has been Taylor Swift.  Ya know, you get in the car and you can't decide who to listen to, so you just go to your default. That is Taylor Swift for me these days (still).  Rush and Dream Theater were my two default artists for a good chunk of the 90s.  Porcupine Tree became the default for the latter half of the 00s.  Neal Morse and his various bands and projects dominated a good portion of the 10s.  Taylor is dominating the 20s for me so far. 

I am also still getting a ton of mileage out of the new Styx albums and the 80s Tommy Shaw solo albums (which I had never heard until a couple years ago).

[Stadler]

I like that idea of a "default".  Kiss was that for the longest time (and still is, to a degree), but lately, the new Neal Morse has taken that role.  It's basically that I listen to that record or Senjutsu, unless I specifically want to listen to something else.

[Elite]

I unsually listen to whatever CDs I bought latest the most, and randomly add older stuff in the mix for when I'm driving to and from my work (or elsewhere). Lately - the past 2 years - it's been mostly jazz and jazz fusion, interspersed with some new releases of bands I've been following for longer (Leprous, Wilderun, etc.). The typical prog stuff doesn't really excite me that much anymore (I found the Transatlantic boring, the LTE a mess, didn't even check Neal Morse, Steven Wilson's was pretty bland). My own playing moving from (prog) metal into jazz adds a lot to that. There's a whole world of music there I've barely discovered and everything is new and fresh, despite most of it being decades old.

I also have two or three playlists that contain fun, random songs that I listen to way too much.

[Stadler]

Elite, I'm the champeen of "I like what I like" and I deeply respect that in others.   But I feel like I wouldn't be being a good friend if I didn't at least say "give the Neal Morse Band record a shot".   Again, I don't expect everyone to react like me, but that record MOVED ME in a way that almost no recent record has.  It'll be in my top 10 or 15 records of all time and will probably be the only record since 1990 to make that list.

[SwedishGoose]

My habit is to listen to anything new for a while. For me that is currently;

The Flower Kings
Star One
D'Virglio, Morse, Jennings

In addition I will listen to whatever I feel like or take a random selection. Could be:

All songs
All songs from one artist
All song from a given year


Sometimes this leads me to want to listen to a particular album or a particular artist.

I do listen to new stuff that I haven't bought yet when somethong piques my interrest or I'm recommend something. But mostly it's from my collection.

Edit: forgot to add that if I have an upcoming concert that will reflect in what I listen to.

[Melphina]

I am not listening to much music right now. It sucks. I want to, and have a backlog of albums going back to January for 2022 releases, but I just can't get the willpower to listen. Lately I've been listening to podcasts instead. But, when I do, I listen to Spotify more than anything. I sold off a few hundred of my CDs last year and have moved exclusively to vinyl, but I don't even listen to the vinyl, I collect them more for the art and to support musician friends or get them as gifts etc. I've wanted to get back to having my entire collection localized on my PC's drives, but after 10 years of Spotify use, I have so much stuff that I only listen to on that platform, and would need to win the lottery to buy all of the music I enjoy and want to support.

So, all that said, when I do listen to music now, if it isn't part of my yearly new release listening schedule... I put on my 'favorites' playlist on Spotify, which has several thousand songs, and just let it do its magic.

[ReaperKK]

I'm pretty OCD and I love making lists so I have an Excel list of about 500 albums that I want to listen to. I normally put a new album on in the morning. My spotify has playlists that are organized by genre, when I listen to a new album I add songs from that album to it's respective genre list. I'll then rate the album on RYM.

Throughout the day I'll usually switch between listening to podcasts and music in my Spotify play lists.

[KevShmev]

Elite, I'm the champeen of "I like what I like" and I deeply respect that in others.   But I feel like I wouldn't be being a good friend if I didn't at least say "give the Neal Morse Band record a shot".   Again, I don't expect everyone to react like me, but that record MOVED ME in a way that almost no recent record has.  It'll be in my top 10 or 15 records of all time and will probably be the only record since 1990 to make that list.

Damn. That is a bold statement, sir.  I dig it a lot, but it hasn't dominated my CD player like a few other Neal(-related) albums like Similitude, One, ?, etc. did.  Granted, that could be because of my change in listening habits, as to reiterate what I said before, I do not listen to as much prog as before, but it's still a damn fine record.  Beyond the Years is otherworldly, that's for sure. 

[Stadler]

Elite, I'm the champeen of "I like what I like" and I deeply respect that in others.   But I feel like I wouldn't be being a good friend if I didn't at least say "give the Neal Morse Band record a shot".   Again, I don't expect everyone to react like me, but that record MOVED ME in a way that almost no recent record has.  It'll be in my top 10 or 15 records of all time and will probably be the only record since 1990 to make that list.

Damn. That is a bold statement, sir.  I dig it a lot, but it hasn't dominated my CD player like a few other Neal(-related) albums like Similitude, One, ?, etc. did.  Granted, that could be because of my change in listening habits, as to reiterate what I said before, I do not listen to as much prog as before, but it's still a damn fine record.  Beyond the Years is otherworldly, that's for sure. 

I don't know what it is, Kev.  It's not like I planned it, but the first CD just resonates, and has from the first time I heard it.  Maybe it's because I'm a middle-aged male, dealing with some of the life choices I've made over the years, but still feeling like I have a lot to give, and a lot to offer, both at work and at home. 

I'm not like that bird on a wire.  I (and my wife, for that matter) came out of bad divorces and have sort of found our place in the sun.  I DO believe that the things in my life are the way they had to be.  I am sort of the patriarch in my family, and I want to be the bridge over any of my family's troubled water.  I'm not afraid of the next phase of my life.  Yadda yadda.   And after having seen the "epic" CD live, twice, it REALLY connected with me.   

Again, I don't expect everyone to feel like I do, but that album hit the right spot at the right time.   Like some of the others on my all time list (Going For The One is the best example). 

[Sacul]

For the current roulette, I've been listening to the songs while working. Outside that, I've found myself only listening to music on my speakers while developing film at night. This has helped me revisit some stuff I love but hadn't listened to in a while, like F#A#Infinity, A Beginner's Mind, Dummy, Endtroducing...., Deathconsciousness, Demon, Long Season, Koi no Yokan, Saturday Night Wrist, and some more I forgot about. It's also helped making Bowie's Heroes and Low grow a bit on me - some excellent pop songs on both, but I'm not that big on the more ambient tracks.

[KevShmev]

Elite, I'm the champeen of "I like what I like" and I deeply respect that in others.   But I feel like I wouldn't be being a good friend if I didn't at least say "give the Neal Morse Band record a shot".   Again, I don't expect everyone to react like me, but that record MOVED ME in a way that almost no recent record has.  It'll be in my top 10 or 15 records of all time and will probably be the only record since 1990 to make that list.

Damn. That is a bold statement, sir.  I dig it a lot, but it hasn't dominated my CD player like a few other Neal(-related) albums like Similitude, One, ?, etc. did.  Granted, that could be because of my change in listening habits, as to reiterate what I said before, I do not listen to as much prog as before, but it's still a damn fine record.  Beyond the Years is otherworldly, that's for sure. 

I don't know what it is, Kev.  It's not like I planned it, but the first CD just resonates, and has from the first time I heard it.  Maybe it's because I'm a middle-aged male, dealing with some of the life choices I've made over the years, but still feeling like I have a lot to give, and a lot to offer, both at work and at home. 

I'm not like that bird on a wire.  I (and my wife, for that matter) came out of bad divorces and have sort of found our place in the sun.  I DO believe that the things in my life are the way they had to be.  I am sort of the patriarch in my family, and I want to be the bridge over any of my family's troubled water.  I'm not afraid of the next phase of my life.  Yadda yadda.   And after having seen the "epic" CD live, twice, it REALLY connected with me.   

Again, I don't expect everyone to feel like I do, but that album hit the right spot at the right time.   Like some of the others on my all time list (Going For The One is the best example).

I know what you mean. Some albums just hit that sweet spot for ya.

I did listen to it again at work today during some down time on the ear buds, and I have to say that Your Place in the Sun is rising up my list. That song is just a fantastic piece of pop rock. 

[Cool Chris]

I'm pretty OCD and I love making lists so I have an Excel list of about 500 albums that I want to listen to.

Me too! I have all my albums and films on a spreadsheet, but it never occurred to me to list albums I want to check out. There have been times where I read about a band on here, make a mental note to listen to them when I get a chance, and when that chance comes I forget the name of the band!

My work allows me several hours to listen to music, though as that time is either driving or doing manual labor, I cannot always fully focus on what I am listening to. But I still have taken the opportunity to listen to new artists much more the past year or so.

I don't get playlists, in the sense that they don't work for me. I just want to put on an album and listen to it straight through. At home when I am doing chores, or working on projects, or playing Barbies, I tend to put on TuneIn internet radio, as that tends to work better for "background" music.

[DoctorAction]

I've wanted to reply in this thread but have struggled to know where to start. What I can say is that I've found it MUCH harder to please myself with music over the last few (ten?) years. The things I'd automatically gravitate to before have started to leave me really cold. Predominantly in rock and metal. There are still things I love but they have to be JUST right for me to earn repeated listens. I've started having to look elsewhere in other genres. It's really annoying, honestly.

A different point I thought of is that I tend to have one band I LOVE in a sub-genre and don't need any more. That band fulfils all my needs in that area and I have no hunger for any more. DT is a prime example. I have next to zero interest in other clean/crisp/melodic prog metal. There are other genres where the same is true that I can't bring to mind right now.

[Tomislav95]

It's just chaos lately, especially since start of this year. It's maybe first time ever I'm this disinterested in music, especially in discovering new stuff. I still listen to a lot of it but I'd rather just listen to my favorites Time for a roulette?
Also, mostly full albums, I just make myself a quick playlist for running (depending if I have slow or fast session). Sometimes I check Spotify mixes but it's almost always the same stuff...

[Sacul]

Time for a roulette?

[Lowdz]

I do most of my listening in the car these days. I have multiple usb sticks that I rotate through, split up into different genres, different years, instrumental albums, new releases, all sorts really.

I use Apple Music in the house, doing chores etc.

When writing reports at work I tend to go for more laid back stuff - maybe some fusion stuff, gentler prog, instrumental stuff.

I don’t seem to really get the chance to sit down and digest new music the way I would in the past. I can’t read cd booklets anymore either, fogey that I am.

[Lethean]

This is a cool thread 425.

For the whole pandemic, I've been listening to a lot of Katatonia (nothing new but my listening went up), Leprous (also not new but also more than usual), Riverside, and Lunatic Soul.  The Lunatic Soul album from 2020 is incredible and has had me revisiting the whole catalog quite a bit.

In addition to the above, for the last few weeks I've been listening to some ProgPower bands - Thank You Scientist the most. A good bit of Arch Echo. Ray Alder's solo album (and some Fates Warning too), etc.

For the last few months, more DT with the release of their new album.  And some 2021 releases like Evergreen, Need, Felipe Andreoli's solo album.

There's always a little Rush in the mix as well.   

[King Puppies and the Acid Guppies]

It's just chaos lately, especially since start of this year. It's maybe first time ever I'm this disinterested in music, especially in discovering new stuff. I still listen to a lot of it but I'd rather just listen to my favorites Time for a roulette?
Also, mostly full albums, I just make myself a quick playlist for running (depending if I have slow or fast session). Sometimes I check Spotify mixes but it's almost always the same stuff...

Do it! 

[bobzor]

I'm pretty OCD and I love making lists so I have an Excel list of about 500 albums that I want to listen to.

I do this too. Making lists and trying to figure out the world through them is, as Umberto Eco also knew, awesome!

I try to avoid "background music". When commuting, taking a walk, or just generally on the move and sometimes at work, I can dig Spotify and I must admit I've been making a lot of playlists there as well. Very often I go for podcasts in these types of situations, though.

While at home, I mainly listen to physical media, that being CDs or vinyl. I feel like I want to really experience the albums and try to give them the proper focus they deserve. That usually means putting on an album and going through the booklet/staring at the cover art. I feel like my attention span has gotten way worse during the last 10 years of the smartphone era and sometimes I fail at keeping focus.

As for the actual music, it's usually pretty cyclical in terms of genres and bands. Last Fall I was on a Dream Theater binge, during winter I listened to black metal, and right now it seems to be Iron Maiden time, which actually has been coming and going ever since Senjutsu was released.

[jingle.boy]

This is a cool thread 425.

Lethean!!! 

Stick around some more, eh?

For the whole pandemic, I've been listening to a lot of Katatonia (nothing new but my listening went up), Leprous (also not new but also more than usual),

Also, I really enjoyed Resonance as well - had some moment of really filthy bass slappin.  As Katt once said "this slaps".