What I mean by this question is when you started listening to music on a higher level than flipping on the radio occasionally, or just listening to the mainstream stuff, what were you into, and how did you get into them?

The band that got me into more serious listening was Metallica. When I was perhaps 15 or so, there was a classic rock radio station, and an alternative rock station who each had a Metallica show each evening; that is, every night at a certain time, they'd play 5 or 6 Metallica tunes in a row. I didn't miss these shows for probably about six months straight, and I eventually saved up my pennies and bought the entire catalog. Eventually I started to get into other classic rock groups (AC/DC, Guns N' Roses), and then got really into Led Zeppelin and Pink Floyd. My musical tastes and collection have been growing ever since.

Let's hear some more stories

I bought led zeppelin bbc sessions when it came out, because I had heard they were a "good" rock band from back in the day and the cover art was cool as shit. Moving on from there I bought both of their box sets and...

The day I bought my first album, Frogstomp, by Silverchair. Sure, I bought singles before that, but there's something more when you sit down, chill, and listen to album after album, all the way through.

I just remember my parents listening to Lynyrd Skynyrd and some Zeppelin when I was very young, then my mom watching MTV in the late 80's and early 90's and I liked stuff like Motely Crue and later on Grunge and Nine Inch Nails.

I think the first real rock album I bought was probably Dirt by Alice in Chains.

Last year around Sep. some guys from work suggested I check out this local record store. I was blew away from all the stuff I had never even hard of before. I looked up www.allmusicguide.com & begin leaning from there. So yes, I'm very new to all this anti-MTV, anti-ClearChannel stuff.

the video for jungle man by the red hot chili peppers came on tv once when i was 14... it broke my head in the best way ever

When I was 18 and in college. I had a room mate who was into Tom Waits and Brian Eno. I thought it was just incredible that I never heard stuff like that before.

Went out and somehow found a copy of David Byrne and Brian Eno's "My Life In The Bush of Ghosts" album and just started exploring after that.

Now I can't stand listening to the radio any more - except for internet radio. I find they cater to a wider variety of audience than regular broadcast stations. You never know what you might stumble across if you find the right station. Also it's world wide so you can find stations in other countries which can be very interesting.

um...the first band i listend to and realy liked was robby williams then i started skatbording and so i had to listen to nu-metel realy like limp bizkit, linkin park, papa roach etc etc. And then we got sky digital so there was good bands on there and so on and so forth !!!

This thread really makes me feel ancient in comparison to the rest of you.

I doesn’t help that it appears that I have lp’s that are older than those that have posted so far.

My first lp purchases was back in 1972, the Stones - Exile on Main St., Beatles - Revolver, Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland.

I got into music the first time I ever heard "Starman". For whatever reason, that song just tweaked something inside of me.