--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Music has as many roles as people make it." description: "\"Music has as many roles as people make it.\" — Ani DiFranco" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c88/ani-difranco-813_make_music-has-as-many-roles-as-people-make-i_2468856.png" --- # Music has as many roles as people make it. ![“Music has as many roles as people make it.” quote by Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c88/ani-difranco-813_make_music-has-as-many-roles-as-people-make-i_2468856.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c88/ani-difranco-813_make_music-has-as-many-roles-as-people-make-i_2468856.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c88/ani-difranco-813_make_music-has-as-many-roles-as-people-make-i_2468856.png) > “Music has as many roles as people make it.” [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Music’s purpose is shaped by how individuals use it, reflecting diverse roles in society. **In simple terms:** Music does what people make it. Key Takeaway Use music intentionally. Themes music role culture individual agency Mood creative analytical Type musical philosophical When to use this quote - education - therapy - activism - entertainment - marketing Key Concepts artistic expression social impact identity formation Questions to Reflect On - How does personal use shape music’s meaning? - What responsibilities do creators have? A Different Perspective Overlooks intrinsic artistic value. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [I was very willing to take on controversial roles that people didn't really want to look at.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-perez/i-was-very-willing-to-take-on-controversial-roles-that-people-didn-t/) [Rosie Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-perez/) > [A lot of roles for people with disabilities are quite patronising. It's a real pity when they are just used to give dull PC…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-haddon/a-lot-of-roles-for-people-with-disabilities-are-quite-patronising-it/) [Mark Haddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-haddon/) > [Some people make stuff; other people have to buy it. And when we gave up making stuff, starting in the 1980s, we were left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/some-people-make-stuff-other-people-have-to-buy-it-and-when-we-gave/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [You can get good performances in quite sizable roles from people who have never been in front of a camera, people who maybe have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-macdonald/you-can-get-good-performances-in-quite-sizable-roles-from-people-who/) [Kevin Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-macdonald/) > [The roles do get fewer as you get older. That's the same for all professions, there's fewer roles for people later in life. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lancashire/the-roles-do-get-fewer-as-you-get-older-that-s-the-same-for-all/) [Sarah Lancashire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lancashire/) > [People see me in powerful roles. That's what people want to see. That's what I want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-sorvino/people-see-me-in-powerful-roles-that-s-what-people-want-to-see-that-s/) [Paul Sorvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-sorvino/) > [I'm drawn to roles that people don't think I'm right for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-pendleton/i-m-drawn-to-roles-that-people-don-t-think-i-m-right-for/) Austin Pendleton > [“You like to assign roles to the people in your life. And when they don't play their parts right, you have a hard time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kasie-west/you-like-to-assign-roles-to-the-people-in-your-life-and-when-they-don/) [Kasie West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kasie-west/) > [I want to do different kind of roles that people don't want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saqib-saleem/i-want-to-do-different-kind-of-roles-that-people-don-t-want-to-do/) [Saqib Saleem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saqib-saleem/) > [When I started out in the '90s, there were not many people of color writing, directing and producing - hence, the roles for people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/archie-panjabi/when-i-started-out-in-the-90s-there-were-not-many-people-of-color/) [Archie Panjabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/archie-panjabi/) > [The thing I always say is that I wasn't going out reaching for roles, I wasn't fighting for roles - people came to me.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-lansbury/the-thing-i-always-say-is-that-i-wasn-t-going-out-reaching-for-roles/) [Angela Lansbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-lansbury/) > [The blessing and the curse of not having a huge hit... you can go in and out of roles and some people know who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-wilson/the-blessing-and-the-curse-of-not-having-a-huge-hit-you-can-go-in-and/) [Patrick Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-wilson/) > [I can't get the serious roles. People don't see me that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-coolidge/i-can-t-get-the-serious-roles-people-don-t-see-me-that-way/) [Jennifer Coolidge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-coolidge/) > [At the end of the day we need to experiment and if we start being too cautious, we'll end up working with the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lara-dutta/at-the-end-of-the-day-we-need-to-experiment-and-if-we-start-being-too/) [Lara Dutta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lara-dutta/) > [I have been successful in comic roles and people think that is all that I can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/javed-jaffrey/i-have-been-successful-in-comic-roles-and-people-think-that-is-all/) [Javed Jaffrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/javed-jaffrey/) ## More by Ani DiFranco > [I am getting nowhere with you and I can't let you go and I cant get through.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/i-am-getting-nowhere-with-you-and-i-can-t-let-you-go-and-i-cant-get/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [You've decided to love me for eternity, I'm still deciding who I want to be today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/you-ve-decided-to-love-me-for-eternity-i-m-still-deciding-who-i-want/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I'll walk the plank and I'll jump with a smile, cause if I'm gonna go down I'm gonna do it with style.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/i-ll-walk-the-plank-and-i-ll-jump-with-a-smile-cause-if-i-m-gonna-go/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [Having more exposure is kind of a bittersweet thing for me, honestly, because it's nice to have a little more job security in life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/having-more-exposure-is-kind-of-a-bittersweet-thing-for-me-honestly/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I can jump ship and swim-- that the ocean will hold me, that there's got to be more than this boat I'm in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/i-can-jump-ship-and-swim-that-the-ocean-will-hold-me-that-there-s-got/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [God help you if you are an ugly girl, 'course too pretty is also your doom, 'cause everyone harbors a secret hatred for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/god-help-you-if-you-are-an-ugly-girl-course-too-pretty-is-also-your/) [Ani Difranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I cannot name this, I cannot explain this, and I really don't want to so just call me shameless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/i-cannot-name-this-i-cannot-explain-this-and-i-really-don-t-want-to/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [Somedays the line I walk turns out to be straight - Other days the line tends to deviate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/somedays-the-line-i-walk-turns-out-to-be-straight-other-days-the-line/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [Taking me seriously is a big mistake. I certainly wouldn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/taking-me-seriously-is-a-big-mistake-i-certainly-wouldn-t/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I am a work in progress Dressed in the fabric of a world unfolding Offering me intricate patterns of questions Rhythms that never come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/i-am-a-work-in-progress-dressed-in-the-fabric-of-a-world-unfolding/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [We have a complete void of progressive politics in this country right now. The will of the people goes ignored and unrealized. I'm searching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/we-have-a-complete-void-of-progressive-politics-in-this-country-right/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I'm home in New Orleans!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/i-m-home-in-new-orleans/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [I don't take good pictures 'cause I have the kind of beauty that moves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/i-don-t-take-good-pictures-cause-i-have-the-kind-of-beauty-that-moves/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [The scary truth is, you have to scratch some veneer off to gauge where the moral fiber really is in certain pockets of society.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/the-scary-truth-is-you-have-to-scratch-some-veneer-off-to-gauge-where/) [Ani DiFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) > [Both hands... Now use both hands. Oh no, don't close your eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/both-hands-now-use-both-hands-oh-no-don-t-close-your-eyes/) [Ani Difranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) [Explore all 363 Ani DiFranco quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/) ## More Make quotes > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/) [Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [You gotta make sacrifices sometimes. It's just the life that we live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shelton/you-gotta-make-sacrifices-sometimes-it-s-just-the-life-that-we-live/) [Ben Shelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shelton/) > [I like to wear bodysuits and things that make me feel really active and athletic and also really sensual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-hawley-weld/i-like-to-wear-bodysuits-and-things-that-make-me-feel-really-active/) [Sophie Hawley-Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-hawley-weld/) > [If you've got some to say to Ric Flair, you come say it to me, and I'll make the translation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roddy-piper/if-you-ve-got-some-to-say-to-ric-flair-you-come-say-it-to-me-and-i-ll/) [Roddy Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roddy-piper/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [There is a broad range of reaction to the work, as there is a broad range of work I make.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-hodges/there-is-a-broad-range-of-reaction-to-the-work-as-there-is-a-broad/) [Jim Hodges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-hodges/) > [Time can but make her beauty over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/time-can-but-make-her-beauty-over-again/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [Imperfections are what make you perfect.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nia-tell/imperfections-are-what-make-you-perfect/) [Nia Tellé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nia-tell/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I want to make my music and be a happy woman, a good wife, a good mom and one day hopefully have a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/i-want-to-make-my-music-and-be-a-happy-woman-a-good-wife-a-good-mom/) [LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/) > [You don't want to fix things that aren't broken, so that kind of stops you from make changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-weidman/you-don-t-want-to-fix-things-that-aren-t-broken-so-that-kind-of-stops/) [Chris Weidman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-weidman/) Browse all 16,612 Make quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Music has as many roles as people make it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ani DiFranco" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/music-has-as-many-roles-as-people-make-it/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Make" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/music-has-as-many-roles-as-people-make-it/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c88/ani-difranco-813_make_music-has-as-many-roles-as-people-make-i_2468856.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c88/ani-difranco-813_make_music-has-as-many-roles-as-people-make-i_2468856.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c88/ani-difranco-813_make_music-has-as-many-roles-as-people-make-i_2468856.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Music has as many roles as people make it.” — Ani DiFranco", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ani DiFranco", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ani-difranco/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Music has as many roles as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/music-has-as-many-roles-as-people-make-it/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ani-difranco/music-has-as-many-roles-as-people-make-it/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```