Album fan? Track fan? Or Both/ depends.

 

I have only ever purchased one single track from Bandcamp: Morgan Delt - Galactic Grids from the compilation album Various Artists: Trouble In Mind Records Presents: Eindhoven 2015 by Trouble In Mind Records. This was the only place I could find this track and after some consideration decided not to purchase the album. The idea of purchasing a single track from an album seems like an anathema to me.

 

I'd say, there are very many ways you can listen to music. I will only speak for myself here.

If it is classical music, I usually prefer live performances over recordings. After all, that's how most of it was intended (of course, the moment we get to musique concrete or the like, things look a bit different), and I very rarely buy classical recordings - unless it has some historic significance like, say, a unique performance by the Berlin Philharmonics.

I can also enjoy concerts with more restrained genres like folk music or singer/songwriter. But as far as pop or rock goes, I usually prefer recorded music, among other things because I don't enjoy pop or rock concerts very much - especially not if the audience members are drunk. I'm more keen on the "be quiet and listen carefully" culture of classical music than the "make some noise" culture of popular music.

Whether it has to be single tracks or albums depends on the circumstances. Of course, if it is a concept album, or if it is meant to be heard in its full length, I will usually do that. I would never want to listen to, say, "On the Run" or "Any Colour You Like" as single tracks, because I don't think they really make sense as such. But I wouldn't mind listening to "London Calling" or "Smells Like Teen Spirit" as tracks. I wouldn't mind listening to the whole albums either. And then of course there are all the 60's singles that weren't intended as album tracks at all.