Although you don't have to use specially recorded meditation music - anything that relaxes you will work for meditation - there are benefits to using meditation tracks that have been recorded with the sole purpose of sending you into a meditative state. OK, some tracks are just "new age" music - maybe pipes playing or keyboard music swirling around you - but there are also a number of music pieces that have been recorded with the sole purpose of helping you relax and go deep into meditation.

Some sites that sell meditation music will allow you to sample the tracks before you buy. Amazon is a good example of this, as are some of the sites dedicated to selling meditation music.

That said, first impressions aren't always the best. A track that is "immediate" could get boring over a period of time. You'll likely remember this from various pop songs over the years - the ones that you like on first hearing start to pale on the second listen and after three or four times just get filed and never played again. Other tracks that you weren't sure about initially go on to be your favorites in a few weeks or months. Just keep this in mind when you're listening to online samples.

Also remember that the purpose of meditation music is to help you to meditate. Which may sound obvious but it's something that gets forgotten from time to time. When you listen to an online sample, you're not actually about to meditate. Try to put yourself in the right "place" if you use this method to decide on a track or CD to purchase.

Another option is to get yourself a dedicated meditation track that uses extra "tricks" such as binaural beats to enhance your meditation experience. This will work with you on several levels and will almost certainly be the best choice for your meditation music. Look for binaural beats or other brainwave entrainment methods if you think they will work for you - it's certainly the method I use on a daily basis for my meditation sessions.