Trying to draw a roadmap of an individual’s personal music highway is like trying to find the island from Lost. There may be a straight line, that lasts for maybe a few weeks, like say my current Tim Hardin kick, but then the familiar landscape disappears into a dark, and uncomfortably moist alley of say, the Wax Trax! catalog, or God forbid, the salivating sounds of the time-sucking Minutemen. Both destinations I know and love all too well.
Like never-ending roots stemming from a strong and unmoving base, our own personal music paths are as organic and ever expanding as a giant Sycamore. Is that by design, or are we fishing bobbers floating atop a steady stream awaiting a dip below? (Waiting for Country Joe and the Fish perhaps? I had to.)
Ok, fine, enough with the metaphors. This will never happen, but I’d LOVE to attempt a personal map of my music listening history. I have no doubt it would take me several years, would necessitate several “gray areas,” and would likely require the X, Y, and dreaded Z axes. It’s all coming back to me now… I should have paid more attention in Math class.
The Prudent Groove 
In music it comes down to two ears, so feed them wisely.
too true. and never enough time!
Do either of you use Last.fm? Shamefully, I’ll admit that I’m a junky for scrobbles. It’s an unhealthy hobby.
Not me. I tend to avoid digital music wherever possible.
PS. What’s a scrobble?
Oh, man… it’s the bane of my existence. Every time you “listen” to a song on iTunes, using the Last.fm scrobbler, it tracks your “listen” and attributes it to your profile. So, like every time you listen to say, the Kinks, it’ll keep track and tally up all the times, including specific songs, you listened to the Kinks. It’s kind of a personal Billboards chart… with an insane drawback. I feel guilty, now, listening to a song, an album, on vinyl, because it won’t chart on my Last.fm profile. It’s bad, and stupid, but mainly bad. Here is what my profile looks like (Since February, 2007) http://www.last.fm/user/gimonsarfunkel
Yep, I get the idea. Another example of the insidious control of social media?
Exactly!
Good advice! Though, it’s interesting how time can shift perspective on the definition of “good” music.