I spotted this on the Guardian website earlier:
New Mumford & Sons album Babel is fastest seller of 2012 in UK and US. Band also smash Spotify streaming record, confounding critics of the service
It raises a couple of interesting thoughts.
Firstly, Spotify.
I know a fair few people and musicians who refuse to use Spotify, on the basis that it devalues music, and that they (in the case of the musicians and bands) get a pitiful amount of money per play on Spotify and how it’s eating into music sales etc etc.
For me, Spotify is a fabulous tool for finding new music. I’ll browse around, have a listen, and if I like it, I’ll buy it. Not necessarily through Spotify, and not from iTunes – a long-held dislike for their insistence that if I buy something on iTunes, I can’t listen to it on whatever device I like. Grrr.
I’ve bought a ton of music as a direct result of finding music on Spotify. Long may it continue.
The second point is sheer bafflement at the amount of Mumford & Sons vitriol in the comments. Now, I quite like their particular blend of guitar/banjo/folk-laden tunes. And the criticism that this album is too much like their last album just makes me think so what? I rather liked their last album. If they want to carry on making that sort of music, good luck to them.
And if you don’t like that sort of music, as the majority of commenters on that piece seem to, then the answer is simple.
Listen to something else.
Have a browse around Spotify. They’ve got loads.
Just remember: if you find something you like, buy it, ok?
espresso coco 
Okay, I have to come out as a Spotify user too, but to be fair, most of the artists I listen to there are not ones I want a whole album by. That it introduces me to tracks that I *love* and want to buy is awesome, but I don’t tend to do the whole album thing.
I’m not really into Mumford & Sons stylings myself, but leaving negative comments for something that I know I’m not into is, well, yeah, point being? To say their sound is like how they sound? Good grief, read Marillion’s forum. They’ve had “you sound/don’t sound exactly like you sounded twenty years ago!” thrown at them for all that time. Hasn’t made them have a less viable career which is enjoyed by many.
Sorry, that came out *lots* more cranky than it was meant, negative reviews + keyboard flailing = internet rantiness fail.
crikey, I didn’t think that was particularly ranty…
Haha, it does for me when I’m in “Yay, sunny autumn day” mode. Perhaps I should cut back on my coffee intake. 🙂