I find that it ' s not about a particular number of listens though I consider 2 to be a fair shake , but rather about the mindset during listening . If I ' m not in a good mood and undistracted , that ' ll diminish my enjoyment . For me , for example , that means no checking out new releases near midterms and exams , and no new listening while hungry either . It ' s as much a service to me as it is to the album . If I ' m going to listen to something , of course I want to be in a mindset that ' ll allow me to enjoy it the most . Also , I ' m with uLorinCheiroso , often my first listen involves a readalong with the lyrics assuming it has any , and reading up on the background of the album and band . It helps me engage with the music better .