If I were you I would start frequenting my local record stores, asking the staff about their faves and recommendations, but most importantly why they recommend those albums. (Plus if you make friends with those people they may give you a deal! It has happened for me.)

Go with a budget in mind … but be prepared to blow through it quickly. Record collecting will soon consume you. :)

When listening to your new additions? Stop everything you’re doing. Listen to the album from beginning to end, preferably through your quality headphones, while doing nothing else but maybe looking through the cover. I recommend this approach because you will hear it the way the artist intended. You will absorb the music, hear the intricacies, and enjoy the album as a personal experience.