Last year's SXSW festival (which I still can't figure out — it seems to be so many different events crammed into the same name) had a great online goodie for people who weren't there — a sampling of hundreds of songs from the bands that are playing at the festival. I slogged through lots of music last year and found some real gems, some bands that I've gotten to really enjoy. Some of them, I've even since heard on the radio.
This year they have a bunch more here, available as a torrent. If you like to discover new, interesting music, check it out. (There are also over 100 trailers for films they are showing there, though that's not something that I can really do "in the background" like listening to music!)