--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've been on a major label for 14 years…" description: "\"I've been on a major label for 14 years. I've always wanted as many people as possible to hear my music, and it definitely made sense for the majority ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/119/dj-shadow-9306_access_i-ve-been-on-a-major-label-for-14-years_1398758.jpg" --- # I've been on a major label for 14 years. I've always… ![“I've been on a major label for 14 years. I've always wanted as many people as possible to hear my music, and it definitely made sense for the majority of my career to be on a major label, on a distribution level, to be in people's faces and be out there, and have access to major labels' incredible…” quote by DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/119/dj-shadow-9306_access_i-ve-been-on-a-major-label-for-14-years_1398758.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/119/dj-shadow-9306_access_i-ve-been-on-a-major-label-for-14-years_1398758.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/119/dj-shadow-9306_access_i-ve-been-on-a-major-label-for-14-years_1398758.jpg) > “I've been on a major label for 14 years. I've always wanted as many people as possible to hear my music, and it definitely made sense for the majority of my career to be on a major label, on a distribution level, to be in people's faces and be out there, and have access to major labels' incredible machine, even though they have not understood or haven't been invested in what I was doing.” [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The artist felt major labels gave wide reach but lacked support for his creative vision. **In simple terms:** Major labels spread music but may ignore artistic intent. Key Takeaway Balance exposure with creative control. Themes music industry artistic integrity distribution career strategy Mood reflective determined Type advice industry insight When to use this quote - tour planning - label negotiations - self‑release decisions - marketing campaigns Key Concepts creative autonomy industry dynamics brand building Questions to Reflect On - How can artists retain vision while leveraging big‑label resources? - What alternatives exist for niche musicians? A Different Perspective Major labels can prioritize profit over niche artistry. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Access](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/access/) [Careers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/careers/) [Computers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/computers/) [Distribution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distribution/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Havens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/havens/) [Incredibles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incredibles/) [Label 14](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/label-14-4896113/) [Label Distribution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/label-distribution-4896111/) [Labels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labels/) [Labels Incredible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labels-incredible-4896112/) [Levels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/levels/) [Machines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/machines/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Major Label](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/major-label/) [Major Labels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/major-labels/) [Majority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majority/) [Majors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/majors/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Understood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understood/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [I was offered seven deals from seven different major labels between 2009-2011, and to be quite honest... nowadays, you need a hit record, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashanti/i-was-offered-seven-deals-from-seven-different-major-labels-between/) [Ashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashanti/) > [I truly believe, as an institution, most major labels should just die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/i-truly-believe-as-an-institution-most-major-labels-should-just-die/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [There are just as many dirt bags in independent music as there are in major labels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-skiba/there-are-just-as-many-dirt-bags-in-independent-music-as-there-are-in/) [Matt Skiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-skiba/) > [You have major labels that are willing to take unconventional approaches because the old model is crumbling in front of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/you-have-major-labels-that-are-willing-to-take-unconventional/) [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) > [If anything, I'm the most hesitant to bring on a label. That terrifies me. I think people believe major labels are linked to success.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verite/if-anything-i-m-the-most-hesitant-to-bring-on-a-label-that-terrifies/) [Verite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/verite/) > [Independent labels take nothing and make something out of it. Major labels buy that something, and try to make more out of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-silverman/independent-labels-take-nothing-and-make-something-out-of-it-major/) [Tom Silverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-silverman/) > [Major labels limit you, but I also learned my tricks from getting around that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dawn-angelique/major-labels-limit-you-but-i-also-learned-my-tricks-from-getting/) [Dawn Angelique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dawn-angelique/) > [All my records were dance-oriented, and all the hassle with major labels about changing my records, release dates, videos - everything was out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hardwell/all-my-records-were-dance-oriented-and-all-the-hassle-with-major/) [Hardwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hardwell/) > [Major labels don't play with samples not being cleared.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-dean/major-labels-don-t-play-with-samples-not-being-cleared/) [Mike Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-dean/) > [Major labels just lost their way. It's like the housing bubble. They lost a sense of the fundamentals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/win-butler/major-labels-just-lost-their-way-it-s-like-the-housing-bubble-they/) [Win Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/win-butler/) > [Major labels blow all their money massively and blame it on the band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-dickinson/major-labels-blow-all-their-money-massively-and-blame-it-on-the-band/) [Bruce Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-dickinson/) > [The only thing major labels can really offer is money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/the-only-thing-major-labels-can-really-offer-is-money/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [There is no question that the US market is the hardest to break into. I believe that the reason for this primarily has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendy-starland/there-is-no-question-that-the-us-market-is-the-hardest-to-break-into/) [Wendy Starland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendy-starland/) > [I now believe that major labels can only work with people who care more about fame and money than the quality of the art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-wilson/i-now-believe-that-major-labels-can-only-work-with-people-who-care/) [Malcolm Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-wilson/) > [I don't want to be on any major labels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/too-short/i-don-t-want-to-be-on-any-major-labels/) [Too Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/too-short/) ## More by DJ Shadow > [Through it all, the words of John Peel echo strongly within me: you have support the music that's being made now. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/through-it-all-the-words-of-john-peel-echo-strongly-within-me-you/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [Like a lot of other DJs, I've been wondering when the first DJ game was going to happen. Somebody even pitched me on their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/like-a-lot-of-other-djs-i-ve-been-wondering-when-the-first-dj-game/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [I was asked to do TV ads for Macintosh. Nowadays, I think anybody would jump at that but, at the time, it didn't feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/i-was-asked-to-do-tv-ads-for-macintosh-nowadays-i-think-anybody-would/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [Sometimes there's this balance: if you try to clear 10 things you'll probably get lucky and be able to clear most of them, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/sometimes-there-s-this-balance-if-you-try-to-clear-10-things-you-ll/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [When I make music, it takes me two hours to get into the flow. To me it's like tapping into some kind of subconscious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/when-i-make-music-it-takes-me-two-hours-to-get-into-the-flow-to-me-it/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [If I wanted to contribute to the hyphy movement, what good is it making a hyphy record that isn't embraced by that community?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/if-i-wanted-to-contribute-to-the-hyphy-movement-what-good-is-it/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [I've always feel like it's been my place to offer an alternative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/i-ve-always-feel-like-it-s-been-my-place-to-offer-an-alternative/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [I think a band - even a band that's been around as long as the Rolling Stones - I think that's still the formula.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/i-think-a-band-even-a-band-that-s-been-around-as-long-as-the-rolling/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [I would agree with you that there's 90% imitation and 10% innovation. That's true of any genre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/i-would-agree-with-you-that-there-s-90-imitation-and-10-innovation/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [I always like to remain a fan, put it that way: and I like to hold the idealised version of what these artists are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/i-always-like-to-remain-a-fan-put-it-that-way-and-i-like-to-hold-the/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [Any good album title has multiple meanings, and I like choosing titles where I find myself repeating it, almost like a mantra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/any-good-album-title-has-multiple-meanings-and-i-like-choosing-titles/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [The story I always recite - and have had to recite so many times over the years to different lawyers and different people within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/the-story-i-always-recite-and-have-had-to-recite-so-many-times-over/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [I almost feel like there's some kind of connection that I'm having trouble putting in to words, in the same sense that I'm learning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/i-almost-feel-like-there-s-some-kind-of-connection-that-i-m-having/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [I think I would be much more enthusiastic about a band that covered more than just one particular album of mine. I don't ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/i-think-i-would-be-much-more-enthusiastic-about-a-band-that-covered/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) > [Yeah, I do. HipHop was, though I would not say all, cause I try to keep myself open to other things, but nearly all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/yeah-i-do-hiphop-was-though-i-would-not-say-all-cause-i-try-to-keep/) [DJ Shadow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) [Explore all 74 DJ Shadow quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-shadow/) ## More Access quotes > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [You can disseminate your art, and it's all such easy access now. The upside to it is that more people are creating than ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-clarke/you-can-disseminate-your-art-and-it-s-all-such-easy-access-now-the/) [Stanley Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-clarke/) > [It's the same with this idea of a literate public, and also of a democracy in which people have access to and really read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hass/it-s-the-same-with-this-idea-of-a-literate-public-and-also-of-a/) [Robert Hass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hass/) > [My hope is that if people have the knowledge, and if they actually see where their food comes from and have access to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/my-hope-is-that-if-people-have-the-knowledge-and-if-they-actually-see/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [I don't think it's always a sign of respect for persons (inside or outside of fiction) to pretend to be able to represent, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lerner/i-don-t-think-it-s-always-a-sign-of-respect-for-persons-inside-or/) [Ben Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lerner/) > [Leslie Stein's comics give readers privileged access to a complete and wholly original world of gently skewed wonders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-woodring/leslie-stein-s-comics-give-readers-privileged-access-to-a-complete/) [Jim Woodring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-woodring/) > [The best way to fight poverty is to empower people through access to quality education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/the-best-way-to-fight-poverty-is-to-empower-people-through-access-to/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Because the Internet's there, I have access to a lot of the legends, like Fela Kuti. I used to watch a lot of Fela…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/king-krule/because-the-internet-s-there-i-have-access-to-a-lot-of-the-legends/) [King Krule](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/king-krule/) > [There needs to be some regime that is overseeing access to broadband to make sure we have openess; otherwise, there is a risk it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vint-cerf/there-needs-to-be-some-regime-that-is-overseeing-access-to-broadband/) [Vint Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vint-cerf/) > [While it's wonderful that investors have access to all the data now available to them, it has become a full-time job to sift through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-bartiromo/while-it-s-wonderful-that-investors-have-access-to-all-the-data-now/) [Maria Bartiromo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-bartiromo/) > [It is truly vital for the United States to assure that it is not attacked with weapons of mass destruction; to prevent wars in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/it-is-truly-vital-for-the-united-states-to-assure-that-it-is-not/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [Now that I'm more middle class, I have access to consumer goods. I do enjoy feminine frippery, feminine doo-da, stuff like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-geok-lin-lim/now-that-i-m-more-middle-class-i-have-access-to-consumer-goods-i-do/) [Shirley Geok-lin Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-geok-lin-lim/) > [Schools have never been about getting access to information. That's the job of libraries. Schools and universities have nobler missions as gentle gatekeepers. Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-nikiforuk/schools-have-never-been-about-getting-access-to-information-that-s/) [Andrew Nikiforuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-nikiforuk/) > [To pray is to open the door unto Jesus and admit Him into your distress. Your helplessness is the very thing which opens wide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ole-hallesby/to-pray-is-to-open-the-door-unto-jesus-and-admit-him-into-your/) [Ole Hallesby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ole-hallesby/) > [Broadband Internet access shouldn't depend on who you are or where you're from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajit-pai/broadband-internet-access-shouldn-t-depend-on-who-you-are-or-where/) [Ajit Pai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajit-pai/) [Browse all 2,178 Access quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/access/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've been on a major label for 14 years. I've always wanted as many people as possible to hear my music, and it definitely made sense for the majority of my career to be on a major label, on a distribution level, to be in people's faces and be out there, and have access to major labels' incredible machine, even though they have not understood or haven't been invested in what I was doing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "DJ Shadow" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/i-ve-been-on-a-major-label-for-14-years-i-ve-always-wanted-as-many/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Access" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-shadow/i-ve-been-on-a-major-label-for-14-years-i-ve-always-wanted-as-many/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/119/dj-shadow-9306_access_i-ve-been-on-a-major-label-for-14-years_1398758.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/119/dj-shadow-9306_access_i-ve-been-on-a-major-label-for-14-years_1398758.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/119/dj-shadow-9306_access_i-ve-been-on-a-major-label-for-14-years_1398758.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've been on a major label for 14 years. 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