Great question...
Almost every album that I pick up. I've always been more of an album listener than a song listener, and I would have guessed that most people here are the same way, but maybe not.
I usually give each album a 2-week trial, where I listen to it pretty much non-stop. If nothing comes out after two weeks, it will probably never come off the shelf again, but even after two weeks of an album that I don't care for, I can mostly sing every song and hum its music, so I would consider that front to back.For albums that really hit home, I keep them in my regular rotation for much longer, and I continue to grab for them off the shelf because they're memorable. And, I try to listen to an album all the way through while reading the lyrics at least once-- that's kind of my final litmus test.
For me, albums are like books. Avid readers normally finish books even if they're not great. For me, finishing an album is learning it front to back, and like a reader, I like to finish albums.
With all that being said, there are still different levels. For my top bands: Rush, Yes, Tull, etc., I would say I know their albums on an even more intimate level-- reading liner notes, articles, and so on.
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