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The only way to get paid for your music is for people to buy it. The only way they will buy it is if they are interested in it. The only way for people to be interested in it is to hear it. The only way for people to hear it is to buy it. Kind of a catch-22.

I somewhat agree, Bitt. The thing to consider, though, is that you can allow people to listen to either a 30-second clip at CD quality, or download the whole track at fairly poor quality. Not all the tracks from an album, mind you, but a representative sample. This would allow people to make a decision if they wanted to pay to hear more.

The 30-second HQ / full song LQ idea isn't mine. Came across it on some artist's website, though I don't remember who at the moment. Add a shopping cart and you have the problem solved.

I agree with you on the "word-of-mouth" thing. With the music I listen to, that's generally all I have to go on anyways. I don't remember the last time MTV played anything by The Legendary Pink Dots, 16 Volt, Melt Banana or Rimi Natsukawa.