What makes us like a new piece of music?

I listen to tons of new music.  It's my job; it's also my pleasure.  Not just classical, either.  There I am, every Saturday morning, lined up at the new release troughs at Newbury Comics and Turn It Up.  I never come away empty-handed.  Then, there's Spotify, Rhapsody, Pandora and, best of all, personal recommendations.  It doesn't take much to get me to try something.  You could be a friend, an acquaintance, or a perfect stranger.  Tell me to give it a listen, and I usually will.  What fun!

Not that I like everything I hear.  I'd say that if I hear a hundred new things in a month, about ten will get a second listen, about five will enter my collection, and one or two will become favorites.  What distinguishes those one or two?  I could empty the thesaurus of such adjectives as entrancing, appealing, alluring and mesmerizing, but they don't quite get at it.  There's something in the music I love that reaches me deeply, tells me a story, and immerses me in a unique soundworld that's fun to visit.  It's inviting, rewarding, perhaps challenging, but the challenges aren't work, they're play.  It's got personality, stands out from the crowd , and doesn't mind risking excess — better that than caution any day.

But rather than go on, I'd rather you tell us what you want in a new piece of music.  Please add your criteria to the conversation.  And if you can point out a few examples — well, we could all use some good new sounds to check out!