How do you listen to new music?

I like to listen in the car, several times thru (unless I hate it), and make a decision on a subconscious level, how much I like it.

I usually listen new music in the venue live. That's my #1 preference. Sometimes I purchase the plane tickets or jump on car to get to the venue. Then I can buy CD or download and listen mostly through the headphones.

If I'm totally unfamiliar with it I listen like a record A/R guy. Twenty or thirty seconds per track unless it grabs me. If it grabs my attention I'll stay with it for the entirety unless the artist really screws it up. Having said that I'll admit to being completely wrong many,many times in re: first impressions. Absolutely hated Talking Heads, Police,and even the Stones when I first heard them. In my defense, the first time I heard the Stones, I was like 6 years old ;)

If you are talking about a new artist i am not familiar with, I will listen intently 2 or 3 times before forming an opinion on it's potential.
If it is an artist I am familiar with, I can listen through once and decide if it is up to the standars I expect from the artist.
Glen

I used to listen to it twice in the car to get to know it and then again on the Hi-Fi to see how it sounded, Up until a couple of years ago, unless it was pretty special, it was then consigned to the shelf as another few took its place. I was buying 25-30 CDs a month and never got to know any albums like I used to as a youth. I have now changed my habits and all but stopped buying. I am playing albums, again a few times in the car, until I get to know the music and then I am reviewing them on my RYM account. I will only do the latter when I have given it a fair crack of the whip and reviewing it means I have listened to it in detail. This method means I have discovered a lot of hidden gems in the collection I knew little or nothing about.
I have around 4500 CDs and that's more than enough for me never to need to buy again....but I will! Just not in the previous numbers.