Jan 2007, I remember Bloc Party uploaded all of A Weekend in the City to MySpace for free streaming
Listened to that loads. Bought the CD after.
Others must’ve done this earlier tho right?
I seem to remember Björk doing this for an album. I think it might have been Medúlla?
It was 2011 so it wasn’t a new thing, however, I remember being really excited when The Horrors streamed the whole of ‘Skying’ on their website.
If it counts, The Smashing Pumpkins putting Machina II on the internet for free in September 2000. One of the greatest surprises of all time.
Anti Flag putting all of For Blood And Empire on MySpace in 2006. Remember rinsing it and buying the CD pretty soon after.