Some of you might be surprised to learn that I don’t really read other music blogs. Quite frankly, I just don’t have the time. But on those rare occasions when I find myself with a few minutes to spare, I check out the following sites:

I Guess I’m Floating :: One of my favorite blogs because I feel like their taste in music closely aligns with mine. So if you ever get frustrated by my lack of activity, check this site out (they have multiple writers who post regularly).

Daytrotter :: An incredible site that features exclusive live tracks by many of my favorite bands. I don’t know how the folks at Daytrotter do it, but I’m impressed. Don’t miss this site!

Aquarium Drunkard :: Another great blog whose taste in music closely aligns with mine. There’s lots going on at this site, so take some time to look around!

Hype Machine :: An incredibly useful website though not really a blog per se. Hype Machine tracks nearly every music blog under the sun and lets you easily search and listen to the songs posted on those sites.

I use the following website to track my listening habits and discover new music:

last.fm :: I think it’s safe to say I’m completely obsessed with last.fm. The reason is simple: it adds a time axis to all your iTunes stats. Which may not sound like a big deal, but this extra dimension allows you to track many interesting things. You can also stream tons of full songs and albums. Check out my profile page to see what I’m talking about!

I use the following websites to discover new bands and legally purchase most of my music:

eMusic :: A few years ago, I vehemently opposed buying music online. Then one day I stumbled upon eMusic. With their extensive catalog of independent artists, cheap subscription plans, and DRM-free downloads, it was only a matter of time before I switched to digital. Now I probably get 90% of my music online (though I still love buying CD’s).

CD Baby :: Yet another great site for independent music. CD Baby purchases directly from the artists, meaning that your money goes to the musicians and not the record label. The downside to this is that CD Baby has limited and (sometimes) pricey selection.

Amie Street :: The concept behind this site is very interesting. When an album or song first appears on Amie Street, it’s free (or really cheap). As more people download it, the price increases proportionally until it reaches the cap ($0.98 for a song or $9.98 for an album). While their selection of music is somewhat limited, you can’t argue with the price.

Amazon :: As much as I want to hate the Wal-Mart of online retailers, Amazon has an impressive catalog of downloadable music. I prefer them to iTunes because their prices are slightly lower ($0.89 vs. $0.99 per track) and their mp3’s are always DRM-free. Also, the customer reviews and recommendations are sometimes useful.

I use the following websites to discover new music and read the latest reviews:

Pitchfork :: Nowadays, I only use Pitchfork to stay current on the latest album releases and music news. I’ve been led astray too many times by their recommendations. Plus they don’t review half the bands I like.

cokemachineglow :: Like Pitchfork, the guys at cokemachineglow have also fallen a little in my eyes recently. For the life of me, I can’t understand what they’re talking about in their album reviews. I still trust their recommendations, though now I usually just check the rating at the top of the page and call it a day.

I use the following website to find song lyrics and meanings:

SongMeanings :: A great place for lyrics and song meanings. I really enjoy reading what random people think about my favorite songs.

Below are some of my favorite non-music websites:

Eugene Gordin :: My source for the latest computer tips and tricks (mostly for Mac users).

Robert Reich :: My source for straightforward analysis of current events.

The Small Stakes :: A really cool online poster shop featuring pretty much all my favorite indie bands.

Hulu :: Features an impressive collection of streaming media, including full episodes of popular TV shows. Some of my favorites include Arrested Development, The Office, 30 Rock, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, The Daily Show, and The Colbert Report.

MediaFire :: A free, easy-to-use online file storage site. Great for sending big files (up to 100MB) to other people.