I confess that I have NEVER downloaded music. I have NEVER burned copies of music for myself or for others. I ALWAYS have purchased music I am interested in,,, or stole it from my friends.
I confess (situational ethics aside) that I'm very much in the habit of downloading music.
What I usually do is a google search for something like "best albums of 2004." I follow the links, make a list, and check out what a good number of people are saying
or pay attention to groups/albums that I see have a repeating pattern of being mentioned.
Using Acquisitions (for Mac) I'll download songs from a particular album. If I like it I'll buy it but after a few listens (usually 2-3) I'll delete the file if I don't like it.
Because my tastes tend to run somewhat off the mark of popular Top 40 shite the chances of me hearing any of these tracks is usually non-existent. I'm not inclined to fork out $18 for a CD on the vague recommendations of critics or reviewers as I've been burned TOO many times. So yeh, I download and I listen and I purchase or I delete. In my mind this is the perfect model for consumers and artists and I find myself wondering the hows and whys that RIAA are so feverishly objecting to when people like myself seeking out music that they actually like v. the pablum that we're continually having shoved down our throats by over-hyped bands that have nothing to say (or sing).