--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People don't really buy records anymore…" description: "\"People don't really buy records anymore, so record companies won't invest in bands like us. They want cookie-cutter acts.\" — Curt Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96d/curt-smith-5967_bands_people-don-t-really-buy-records-anymore_2946086.jpg" --- # People don't really buy records anymore, so record… ![“People don't really buy records anymore, so record companies won't invest in bands like us. They want cookie-cutter acts.” quote by Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96d/curt-smith-5967_bands_people-don-t-really-buy-records-anymore_2946086.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96d/curt-smith-5967_bands_people-don-t-really-buy-records-anymore_2946086.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/96d/curt-smith-5967_bands_people-don-t-really-buy-records-anymore_2946086.jpg) > “People don't really buy records anymore, so record companies won't invest in bands like us. They want cookie-cutter acts.” [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Industry trends favor formulaic acts, limiting opportunities for unique bands. **In simple terms:** Record labels chase safe, cookie‑cutter acts. Key Takeaway Pursue authentic creativity. Themes music industry creativity commercial pressure Mood frustrated hopeful Type industry advice When to use this quote - indie production - marketing strategies - career planning Key Concepts business artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - How can indie artists break through? - What alternatives exist to traditional labels? A Different Perspective Market forces dominate. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bands/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Record companies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/record-companies/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [People don't buy records anymore. I don't know how people can support themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-mann/people-don-t-buy-records-anymore-i-don-t-know-how-people-can-support/) [Aimee Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-mann/) > [You could have a zillion Facebook followers. Those people don't buy records. It's about a hundred to one...Record companies, they don't have any money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-corgan/you-could-have-a-zillion-facebook-followers-those-people-don-t-buy/) [Billy Corgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-corgan/) > [You could have a zillion Facebook followers. Those people don't buy records. It's about a hundred to one...Record companies, they don't have any money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-corgan/you-could-have-a-zillion-facebook-followers-those-people-don-t-buy-2/) [Billy Corgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-corgan/) > [Formats are constantly changing, and there are really no rules for the way you put your records out anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-joe-armstrong/formats-are-constantly-changing-and-there-are-really-no-rules-for-the/) [Billie Joe Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-joe-armstrong/) > [The 'rock world' is a lot smaller than it used to be. It's doing a lot less things than it used to be. From…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/austin-carlile/the-rock-world-is-a-lot-smaller-than-it-used-to-be-it-s-doing-a-lot/) [Austin Carlile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/austin-carlile/) > [No one really buys records anymore. You can look at sales and do that math real quick. Unfortunately, it's fast food in the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-lee/no-one-really-buys-records-anymore-you-can-look-at-sales-and-do-that/) [Tommy Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-lee/) > [No one really gets rich doing this. A couple people do, Black Sabbath does. We don't sell any records anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thurston-moore/no-one-really-gets-rich-doing-this-a-couple-people-do-black-sabbath/) [Thurston Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thurston-moore/) > [I don't do concept records anymore - I just prefer doing good songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coolio/i-don-t-do-concept-records-anymore-i-just-prefer-doing-good-songs/) [Coolio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coolio/) > [No one sells records anymore. It's all about touring. It's all greatest hits records and box sets. And even those don't sell. People just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-stallone/no-one-sells-records-anymore-it-s-all-about-touring-it-s-all-greatest/) [Frank Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-stallone/) > [No one's playing records anymore, so find your favorite and frame it, then get rid of the rest - try selling or donating them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niecy-nash/no-one-s-playing-records-anymore-so-find-your-favorite-and-frame-it/) [Niecy Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niecy-nash/) > [Music is so hard. It's a struggle to get people to care. It's hard to make an impact in today's world because people aren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliana-hatfield/music-is-so-hard-it-s-a-struggle-to-get-people-to-care-it-s-hard-to/) [Juliana Hatfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliana-hatfield/) > [The problem now with changes in the music industry is that there's almost no point in making records anymore. The only thing really is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-mason/the-problem-now-with-changes-in-the-music-industry-is-that-there-s/) [Nick Mason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-mason/) > [I'm the die-hard that still goes out to buy records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-skiba/i-m-the-die-hard-that-still-goes-out-to-buy-records/) [Matt Skiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-skiba/) > [A lot of people don't know about music, but buy records. A lot of people that know about music can't afford to buy records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-bolan/a-lot-of-people-don-t-know-about-music-but-buy-records-a-lot-of/) [Marc Bolan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-bolan/) > [Critics don't buy records. They get 'em free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-king-cole/critics-don-t-buy-records-they-get-em-free/) [Nat King Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-king-cole/) ## More by Curt Smith > [I guess because we're essentially a two-man band, we're attracting Wham's crowd. But Wham! are more of a businessman's band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/i-guess-because-we-re-essentially-a-two-man-band-we-re-attracting/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [It's definitely a joy when you make a record to know you are doing it for the right reasons: You want to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/it-s-definitely-a-joy-when-you-make-a-record-to-know-you-are-doing-it/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [You find it hard to deal with certain things and as you get older it becomes easier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/you-find-it-hard-to-deal-with-certain-things-and-as-you-get-older-it/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [At the height of our fame, we didn't see anything. We didn't leave the hotel because we were doing interviews all day. We may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/at-the-height-of-our-fame-we-didn-t-see-anything-we-didn-t-leave-the/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [My kids don't really buy albums. They buy singles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/my-kids-don-t-really-buy-albums-they-buy-singles/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [When I get some time off, I don't even want to see people half the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/when-i-get-some-time-off-i-don-t-even-want-to-see-people-half-the-time/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [I have two kids and they were by no means blank slates. One is exactly like me, one is exactly like my wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/i-have-two-kids-and-they-were-by-no-means-blank-slates-one-is-exactly/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [You never stop trying to make progress as a musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/you-never-stop-trying-to-make-progress-as-a-musician/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [Tears For Fears is my ultimate passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/tears-for-fears-is-my-ultimate-passion/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [I have this TV pilot I was writing for and a couple of films. It's just a different way to express myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/i-have-this-tv-pilot-i-was-writing-for-and-a-couple-of-films-it-s/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [A lot of songs we've written have been political, but they're also personally political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/a-lot-of-songs-we-ve-written-have-been-political-but-they-re-also/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [I couldn't deal with the fame, the pressure and everything else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/i-couldn-t-deal-with-the-fame-the-pressure-and-everything-else/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [To preserve my sanity I had to leave England and move to New York.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/to-preserve-my-sanity-i-had-to-leave-england-and-move-to-new-york/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [We've never considered ourselves overtly political, but when it comes to English politics - people like Margaret Thatcher - you cannot just stand by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/we-ve-never-considered-ourselves-overtly-political-but-when-it-comes/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) > [My father always worked away, and died when I was 17, but I hated him by that point. It hit me later in life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curt-smith/my-father-always-worked-away-and-died-when-i-was-17-but-i-hated-him/) [Curt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) [Explore all 100 Curt Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curt-smith/) ## More Bands quotes > [There is something to be said though when you have 4 or 5 guys playing with no net, there is a sense of urgency,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-mendoza/there-is-something-to-be-said-though-when-you-have-4-or-5-guys/) [Marco Mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-mendoza/) > [As you'll never hear the thing again, my boy, why not throw in a couple of brass bands?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-beecham/as-you-ll-never-hear-the-thing-again-my-boy-why-not-throw-in-a-couple/) [Thomas Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-beecham/) > [I've always made sure that I tour with bands that people aren't expecting me to tour with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayer-hawthorne/i-ve-always-made-sure-that-i-tour-with-bands-that-people-aren-t/) [Mayer Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayer-hawthorne/) > [There are bands that I am friends with, who will invite me up on stage. Like Les Savy Fav, who have had me on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-armisen/there-are-bands-that-i-am-friends-with-who-will-invite-me-up-on-stage/) [Fred Armisen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-armisen/) > [I'd been playing in bands for something like seven years at this point. And we were always trying to get ahead, trying to rehearse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aerosmith/i-d-been-playing-in-bands-for-something-like-seven-years-at-this/) [Aerosmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aerosmith/) > [I grew up with my dad's music, so my introduction to rock was Alice Cooper and Cinderella and Dio and Black Sabbath, so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/i-grew-up-with-my-dad-s-music-so-my-introduction-to-rock-was-alice/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [I was playing in other rock bands. Any of those bands didn't last long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ikue-mori/i-was-playing-in-other-rock-bands-any-of-those-bands-didn-t-last-long/) [Ikue Mori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ikue-mori/) > [I like bands for a long time, even when they're not trendy anymore. I still like Arcade Fire. I've always liked Stevie Wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sia-furler/i-like-bands-for-a-long-time-even-when-they-re-not-trendy-anymore-i/) [Sia Furler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sia-furler/) > [Aerosmith-one of the 10 best bands today? Yeah definitely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/aerosmith-one-of-the-10-best-bands-today-yeah-definitely/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) > [People make such a big deal about how people in bands look, especially if you're a girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juliana-hatfield/people-make-such-a-big-deal-about-how-people-in-bands-look-especially/) [Juliana Hatfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juliana-hatfield/) > [People didnt expect pop music to be authentic. There were a lot of manufactured bands - of which I love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darren-hayes/people-didnt-expect-pop-music-to-be-authentic-there-were-a-lot-of/) [Darren Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darren-hayes/) > [I listened to a lot of bands that were happening at the time, but no one in particular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-corr/i-listened-to-a-lot-of-bands-that-were-happening-at-the-time-but-no/) [Caroline Corr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-corr/) > [I think a lot of bands have hit songs that don't get the attention that they ever are going to deserve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trace-cyrus/i-think-a-lot-of-bands-have-hit-songs-that-don-t-get-the-attention/) [Trace Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trace-cyrus/) > [If you click on MTV, it's the same 10 bands and the same 10 songs, and it gets so old. Kids are looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffree-star/if-you-click-on-mtv-it-s-the-same-10-bands-and-the-same-10-songs-and/) [Jeffree Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffree-star/) > [Old-school rock bands, and blues bands, too, are kind of a dying breed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-rossington/old-school-rock-bands-and-blues-bands-too-are-kind-of-a-dying-breed/) [Gary Rossington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-rossington/) [Browse all 1,161 Bands quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bands/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "People don't really buy records anymore, so record companies won't invest in bands like us. 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