When thinking about your New Year’s Resolutions, you might think about becoming more organized or being more productive.  But you should consider your musical goals as well. Want to finally go to a festival or build a vinyl collection? Want to stop listening to the same old artists and music? Here are some tips for reaching these totally attainable goals.

1. Go To A Festival

People always feel left out when they see people on Instagram posting from music festivals, but you can definitely be apart of it too. Cost wise, festivals are actually a pretty good deal. For the large amount of acts you see, the price per show is pretty low, especially since some concerts are already $100+. Some things to keep in mind when picking a festival.

• Pick a festival near you or a friend: No need to add costs with airline flights and hotel rooms. With so many festivals, you can find one pretty close to you.  Especially since many acts play several different festivals, many people who will be at Coachella will be at other festivals.
• Think of a price you are comfortable with: Prices from festivals can vary a lot. Some of the cheaper ones are Jay Z’s Made In America and Pitchfork Music Festival. Still incredible acts, but you can get early bird tickets for this year’s Pitchfork for $150 for three days or $65 for a single day now.
• Consider one day passes or buy closer to festival date:  One day passes are cheaper, and some times you only want to see acts that are on one particular day.  You can also save money by buying tickets closer to the date on Stubhub or other sites because many people’s plans change. Of course there is always a risk in that. It’s best to register to tickets in front of the seller before buying it to make sure they are authentic if possible.

Bonus tip: When buying tickets, avoid the pay plan. I tried to do the with Lolla last year and it wouldn’t go through and I lost my place in line.  Its glitchy for some reason. Just pay for it out front. Worst case scenario you can resale.

2. Collect Vinyl

While people always talk about collecting vinyl, it seems like a large investment and task. It is not really when you break it down.

• Buy albums you already like: No need to roll the dice when investing money and space on vinyl.  Buy some of your favorite albums that you would spin often.
• Buy on sale:  You can find a lot of vinyl on sale at Urban Outfitters and other places.  Easy way to collect when you find some for $10.

Buy a frame when you buy an album: Instead of having another task that will take forever to get around to, just purchase it as the same time you buy the vinyl and hang it up then.

3. Listen To New Music

I think its super easy to get stuck into the music you like without spreading out and discovering new music. Its pretty easy if you are just conscious of your music habits and making small changes.

• Actually listen to Spotify Discover and other playlist: Just have it as background noise when you are doing something else. Its a good way to be efficient and pick up on new music that piques your interest.
• Listen to new music highlights from
  different websites: Pigeons and Planes and Pitchfork usually put together new music and artists list each week. Just listen to it once you see it and don’t put it off.

  Basically the best way to get anything done is to just do it! By taking a chance, you can have great musical experiences this year and expand your sonic horizons.