--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think all this emphasis on sales is…" description: "\"I think all this emphasis on sales is misguided. If you look at the Stone Roses or the Jam, you don't think about how many records they sold but what g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27a/alex-turner-9501_great-music_i-think-all-this-emphasis-on-sales-is-mi_2857511.jpg" --- # I think all this emphasis on sales is misguided. If you… ![“I think all this emphasis on sales is misguided. If you look at the Stone Roses or the Jam, you don't think about how many records they sold but what great music they made. That's what is?” quote by Alex Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27a/alex-turner-9501_great-music_i-think-all-this-emphasis-on-sales-is-mi_2857511.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27a/alex-turner-9501_great-music_i-think-all-this-emphasis-on-sales-is-mi_2857511.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27a/alex-turner-9501_great-music_i-think-all-this-emphasis-on-sales-is-mi_2857511.jpg) > “I think all this emphasis on sales is misguided. If you look at the Stone Roses or the Jam, you don't think about how many records they sold but what great music they made. That's what is?” [Alex Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-turner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Emphasizing sales over artistic quality misdirects focus; true value lies in the music's greatness, not commercial success. **In simple terms:** Artistic merit outweighs commercial metrics. Key Takeaway Prioritize creative integrity over sales. Themes music art commercialism creativity Mood reflective inspired Type cultural inspirational When to use this quote - band formation - songwriting workshops - music education Key Concepts artistic integrity cultural impact music industry Questions to Reflect On - How can artists sustain themselves without compromising art? - What models support creative work? A Different Perspective Counterpoint: Financial viability can enable artistic freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Great music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-music/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sales/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [Some musicians like to decorate their walls with discs saying: '1 million records sold in America.' I prefer to put up discs marking sales…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-cullum/some-musicians-like-to-decorate-their-walls-with-discs-saying-1/) [Jamie Cullum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-cullum/) > [I never really think so much about commercial success; I usually just think about records that move me, and 'Baby Got Back' was one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-rubin/i-never-really-think-so-much-about-commercial-success-i-usually-just/) [Rick Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-rubin/) > [I don't think about records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/usain-bolt/i-don-t-think-about-records/) [Usain Bolt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/usain-bolt/) > [Do not think about records, because one day, they will break.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrikh-mkhitaryan/do-not-think-about-records-because-one-day-they-will-break/) [Henrikh Mkhitaryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrikh-mkhitaryan/) > [I really like the last three Luna records a whole lot, especially 'Penthouse.' I think of all the records I've done, that's my favorite.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-wareham/i-really-like-the-last-three-luna-records-a-whole-lot-especially/) [Dean Wareham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-wareham/) > [I don't really think of records beforehand. I don't want them to freak me out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-cain/i-don-t-really-think-of-records-beforehand-i-don-t-want-them-to-freak/) [Mary Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-cain/) > [I think there are records that will sell, and I think what makes a record sell is a continuity of sound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-luke/i-think-there-are-records-that-will-sell-and-i-think-what-makes-a/) [Dr. Luke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-luke/) > [I think my records will always tend to be approachable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-delonge/i-think-my-records-will-always-tend-to-be-approachable/) [Tom DeLonge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-delonge/) > [I think I made records, since early on, that people wanted to listen to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darius-rucker/i-think-i-made-records-since-early-on-that-people-wanted-to-listen-to/) [Darius Rucker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darius-rucker/) > [Over 80 million records sold and I ain't got to do it with ten or eleven year olds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-dre-2/over-80-million-records-sold-and-i-ain-t-got-to-do-it-with-ten-or/) [Dr Dre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-dre-2/) > [In the UK, tons of records are now sold in grocery stores, because there are no record stores - it's iTunes or the grocery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/win-butler/in-the-uk-tons-of-records-are-now-sold-in-grocery-stores-because/) [Win Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/win-butler/) > [For the longest time, I was just playing music and not really expecting any success - just kind of doing it because I liked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-newman/for-the-longest-time-i-was-just-playing-music-and-not-really/) [A.C. Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-newman/) > [To be truthful, Jay-Z wouldn't have a quarter of the records sold today if it wasn't for the white people buying his records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanilla-ice/to-be-truthful-jay-z-wouldn-t-have-a-quarter-of-the-records-sold/) [Vanilla Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanilla-ice/) > [I joke that I've never been burdened by having an actual hit. There's something to that. My records have sold enough to make the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyle-lovett/i-joke-that-i-ve-never-been-burdened-by-having-an-actual-hit-there-s/) [Lyle Lovett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyle-lovett/) > [I've heard that Oasis or Coldplay will sell tickets, but they can't sell records. They sold out Madison Square Garden in three hours. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jez-williams/i-ve-heard-that-oasis-or-coldplay-will-sell-tickets-but-they-can-t/) [Jez Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jez-williams/) ## More by Alex Turner > [I saw that something changed in terms of the way I approach writing. I don't know. Before, everything was just sort of pieced together;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-turner/i-saw-that-something-changed-in-terms-of-the-way-i-approach-writing-i/) [Alex Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-turner/) > [Rock'n'roll will never go away completely because it's so fundamentally attractive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-turner/rock-n-roll-will-never-go-away-completely-because-it-s-so/) [Alex Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-turner/) > [That rock and roll, eh? That rock and roll, it just won't go away. It might hibernate from time to time, sink back into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-turner/that-rock-and-roll-eh-that-rock-and-roll-it-just-won-t-go-away-it/) [Alex Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-turner/) > [Sometimes, writing songs is like waiting in for deliveries. They give you a window, and your washing machine is going to show up, whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-turner/sometimes-writing-songs-is-like-waiting-in-for-deliveries-they-give/) [Alex Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-turner/) > [It was 2002, we all got guitars for Christmas and started playing in my garage that summer, rehearsed there and in a warehouse for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-turner/it-was-2002-we-all-got-guitars-for-christmas-and-started-playing-in/) [Alex Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-turner/) > [I took the batteries out my mysticism / And put them in my thinking cap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-turner/i-took-the-batteries-out-my-mysticism-and-put-them-in-my-thinking-cap/) [Alex Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-turner/) > [I can't draw. I'm good on the yo-yo, but I don't draw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-turner/i-can-t-draw-i-m-good-on-the-yo-yo-but-i-don-t-draw/) [Alex Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-turner/) > [We were very nervous but it were right exciting. We weren't hooligans but we knew people that were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-turner/we-were-very-nervous-but-it-were-right-exciting-we-weren-t-hooligans/) [Alex Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-turner/) > [I feel like I should just flip out and do something crazy. It's boring when people tell me I'm really well grounded. I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-turner/i-feel-like-i-should-just-flip-out-and-do-something-crazy-it-s-boring/) [Alex Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-turner/) > [There's that 15 quid we put on One Direction to win down the drain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-turner/there-s-that-15-quid-we-put-on-one-direction-to-win-down-the-drain/) [Alex Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-turner/) > [I usually sit around with the guitar in reach and grab it when I get an idea. Sometimes it lasts five minutes, and sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-turner/i-usually-sit-around-with-the-guitar-in-reach-and-grab-it-when-i-get/) [Alex Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-turner/) > [We should not be afraid of change, we should return to the old ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-turner/we-should-not-be-afraid-of-change-we-should-return-to-the-old-ideas/) [Alex Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-turner/) > [The idea that talent is directly proportional to your trophy cabinet is one I oppose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-turner/the-idea-that-talent-is-directly-proportional-to-your-trophy-cabinet/) [Alex Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-turner/) > [Hopefully the tabloid thing has peaked. It doesn't seem to be as big (to us) as what people might think it is. Maybe we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-turner/hopefully-the-tabloid-thing-has-peaked-it-doesn-t-seem-to-be-as-big/) [Alex Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-turner/) > [The first time I went to New York, it was really exciting, and I thought, given half the chance, it would be nice to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-turner/the-first-time-i-went-to-new-york-it-was-really-exciting-and-i/) [Alex Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-turner/) [Explore all 72 Alex Turner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-turner/) ## More Great music quotes > [“Her mother said that three great powers kept the universe going. The first and the strongest was God. Each of the two additional powers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/her-mother-said-that-three-great-powers-kept-the-universe-going-the/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [I did a concert... in September with the Berlin Philharmonic... They're great musicians, and there's always something to learn from them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecilia-bartoli/i-did-a-concert-in-september-with-the-berlin-philharmonic-they-re/) [Cecilia Bartoli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecilia-bartoli/) > [I think that there's always great music being made. Always has been, always will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-robertson/i-think-that-there-s-always-great-music-being-made-always-has-been/) [Robbie Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-robertson/) > [Rev Run is a living legend of Hip-Hop, who's still making great music, but now he's also the dad to an amazing family, ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-disanto/rev-run-is-a-living-legend-of-hip-hop-who-s-still-making-great-music/) Tony DiSanto > [Paste is a great music lover's resource. I tend to agree with their album reviews and find their interviews a bit more intriguing than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ari-hest/paste-is-a-great-music-lover-s-resource-i-tend-to-agree-with-their/) Ari Hest > [I think a lot of women could be making great music but still don't feel like they're capable - in fact, I know that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soccer-mommy/i-think-a-lot-of-women-could-be-making-great-music-but-still-don-t/) [Soccer Mommy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soccer-mommy/) > [The music changed. We had Irving Berlin and Gershwin and Lerner and Loewe and Cole Porter. Great music. Now we have 'Rent.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyd-charisse/the-music-changed-we-had-irving-berlin-and-gershwin-and-lerner-and/) [Cyd Charisse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyd-charisse/) > [A great song is a great song, whether it's on vinyl or CD or cassette or reel to reel or mp3. Then again, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/a-great-song-is-a-great-song-whether-it-s-on-vinyl-or-cd-or-cassette/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [People tell me not to live in the past BUT, That's where all the cool cars and great music is from !!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/people-tell-me-not-to-live-in-the-past-but-that-s-where-all-the-cool/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Memphis is a great town, man. There's a great musical community here. I'm trying to fit in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-moore/memphis-is-a-great-town-man-there-s-a-great-musical-community-here-i/) [Charles Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-moore/) > [I think the French have a romantic cliche that Englishmen have great style, great music, irony and sense of humour. Well, sometimes cliches are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josephine-de-la-baume/i-think-the-french-have-a-romantic-cliche-that-englishmen-have-great/) [Josephine de La Baume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josephine-de-la-baume/) > [I am attracted only to music which I consider to be better than it can be performed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/artur-schnabel/i-am-attracted-only-to-music-which-i-consider-to-be-better-than-it/) [Artur Schnabel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/artur-schnabel/) > [There's a lot of great, talented, passionate musical theatre practitioners and directors here. But it's very hard to suddenly start building great musicals in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/there-s-a-lot-of-great-talented-passionate-musical-theatre/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [The problem is that the internet IS some kid in a basement with an opinion. The fact that David Bowie and Elton John told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/page-hamilton/the-problem-is-that-the-internet-is-some-kid-in-a-basement-with-an/) [Page Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/page-hamilton/) > [I didn't want to be precious about things. Of course, the idea is to make great music, but if you have great musicians up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fiona-apple/i-didn-t-want-to-be-precious-about-things-of-course-the-idea-is-to/) [Fiona Apple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fiona-apple/) [Browse all 450 Great music quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-music/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I think all this emphasis on sales is misguided. If you look at the Stone Roses or the Jam, you don't think about how many records they sold but what great music they made. 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