i am one of the music fans that does download a mojority of thier music althogh even after i download a cd and i love it i will usually go out and buy it to support the artist.

anyways to my point. now-a-days there are complete leaks of cds month before the release. i used to be the first to jump on it just to say hey i was the first to hear it. but now that im getting older, more mature, and mainly patient i guess, i enjoy anticipating the release of a favorite band.

take bloc party for instance. i downloaded their whole new cd from a torrent site about a month ago and just simply chose just not to listen to it.

i am intrested on seeing if anybody else out there is the same way.

Nope.

I'm in pretty much the same situation as you, TYIG. Sometimes I'll listen to a leak before the album comes out, sometimes I won't bother until it comes out.

I rarely download a leaked version of an album without buying it when it's released. If that's the case, it must have been pretty bad because I'm a sucker for buying new music (much to my peril, since I find I don't listen to way too much of what I buy.) I'll often check out the advance tracks from the band's website so that I can build up excitment for the whole album. Sometimes it really works. Sometimes, you get "Juicebox"...

I'm so into whole process of getting and taking in the new CD that I usually don't even check out new songs when the band puts them on their website/myspace page. For one, they don't sound as good on the computer, and two, it just lessens the experience when I finally get the new CD.

I'm like a kid at christmas w/ leaks.... I'm so compelled to d/l them. I generally buy them when they come out, because I like the hard copy better (duh). I just get so excited about a lot of leaks, haha.

Never. Ok, I did get the TV on the Radio, but that was just dumb because the label wasn't distributing to the US until a few weeks later. Anyway, I bought the import later.

But even regardless of whether the download was legal or not, I prefer to wait to the release date.

I download as soon as possible and then purchase the record once it comes out. I honestly don't see much of a problem with it.

i'm not sure i understand this obsession with buying your own copy...i just don't see how that's so superior to downloading. if i like something, i support the artist and buy the album, go to the show, or buy a t-shirt...sometimes all three (such as maritime, owen and make believe from last year). but i've never been blown away by experiencing the music while holding some plastic and a paper insert any more than just by listening. i appreciate good artwork or included lyrics in addition to the satisfaction of supporting good artists, but i'm spending my time on these bands for the music first...and downloading has made that process easier.

I prefer to download - but usually for a (small) fee from an established site where quality is more likely to be high enough - though with emusic I can't see how about 27 cents a track really gets much back to the artist. Still, I would only buy a hard copy of an album/track if I want max sound quality without compression etc - ie if the production is worth it (nigel godrich etc). It's a pragmatic expense vs quality issue - anything else is nostalgic or precious - not that there is anything wrong with that! By the way, I am in my thirties and grew up on vinyl/cds - I am just not much of a sentimental lad - whatever works best.

I'm not saying that anything you guys are doing is wrong. It's just completely anathema to my VERY LONG music history, so it's not even a choice I consider. I listen to ALL my music blasting on four foot high speakers. I like to be engulfed by music, and it's actually easier to do it in a room (for me) than between my/your head, but go for it and bless you! All music is good, except shit!

Mark F - point taken about the satisfaction of music played out (very) loud - but surely you know you can plug an ipod/mp3 player into most stereos (with massive speakers etc) - just make sure the connecting cord is high quality and you're off! Vinyl is a different matter as there is definitely a warmer deeper sound available there.

I tend to download leaks of CDs by bands I like, and then buy the actual album once I see them live. That way 1) I know if the album's any good, and 2) most of my money goes straight to the band. That said, I think I might hold off on the Arcade Fire until the new album comes out.

I was really excited about Deerhoof and Menomena, so they were the first two leaks I ever downloaded. I love them both and I fully intend on buying them in a couple weeks, but it ruined the surprise and I probably won't download any more leaks.

I don't understand it "ruining the surprise". Either way you're going to hear it... whether it's today or a month from now. What is the difference between hearing it now and at release?

One thing I experienced w/ the futureheads, is that sometimes the leak won't be the finished product (I'm hearing that's the deal w/ a lot of the shin's wincing leaks). But, I wound up like the futureheads "demos" way more than the actual post-production tracks.

Well, I am a pirate, so don't really buy too much music. In principle, I probably shouldn't do it but given the choice of spending $10+ or downloading an entire album for free weeks or even months before it is actually released, I will always choose the latter.