--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Major labels didn't start showing up…" description: "\"Major labels didn't start showing up really until they smelled money, and that's all they're ever going to be attracted to is money-that's the business..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa1/ian-mackaye-3369_business_major-labels-didn-t-start-showing-up-rea_2981537.png" --- # Major labels didn't start showing up really until they… ![“Major labels didn't start showing up really until they smelled money, and that's all they're ever going to be attracted to is money-that's the business they're in- making money.” quote by Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa1/ian-mackaye-3369_business_major-labels-didn-t-start-showing-up-rea_2981537.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa1/ian-mackaye-3369_business_major-labels-didn-t-start-showing-up-rea_2981537.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa1/ian-mackaye-3369_business_major-labels-didn-t-start-showing-up-rea_2981537.png) > “Major labels didn't start showing up really until they smelled money, and that's all they're ever going to be attracted to is money-that's the business they're in- making money.” [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Major labels prioritize profit over art, limiting creative freedom. **In simple terms:** Labels chase money, not music. Key Takeaway Support independent artists. Themes music industry profit motive artistic integrity Mood critical skeptical Type analytical commentary When to use this quote - record deals - music festivals - artist contracts - streaming platforms Key Concepts capitalism creative control Questions to Reflect On - Why do artists stay with major labels? - Can profit and art coexist? A Different Perspective Indie success still faces financial hurdles. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Labels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labels/) [Making money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-money/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [I was always looking to record, but how much I actually pursued it was another thing. The major labels weren't that interested in me,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-hicks/i-was-always-looking-to-record-but-how-much-i-actually-pursued-it-was/) [Dan Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-hicks/) > [When the major labels didn't work out the first time around, it taught me not to force things. You gotta let it flow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lp/when-the-major-labels-didn-t-work-out-the-first-time-around-it-taught/) LP > [In those days the big U.S. labels didn't have any particular interest in the Latin market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruben-blades/in-those-days-the-big-u-s-labels-didn-t-have-any-particular-interest/) [Ruben Blades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruben-blades/) > [I think the Ambitious Lovers never got their due- we had terrible management and at that point, we were on major labels and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arto-lindsay/i-think-the-ambitious-lovers-never-got-their-due-we-had-terrible/) [Arto Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arto-lindsay/) > [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/) > [Basically we just created our own label, but again we just did it to document our own music and create our own thing, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/basically-we-just-created-our-own-label-but-again-we-just-did-it-to/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [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/) > [With Napster and the sharing of music, of course, there are going to be people who exploit it. Greed has no end. But there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/with-napster-and-the-sharing-of-music-of-course-there-are-going-to-be/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [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 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/) ## More by Ian MacKaye > [Truth is, right now two bombs could drop out of the sky and blow up this house and whatever building you're in and just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/truth-is-right-now-two-bombs-could-drop-out-of-the-sky-and-blow-up/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [I think it's my nature to engage in things that are more difficult.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-think-it-s-my-nature-to-engage-in-things-that-are-more-difficult/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [The thing is, people can't complain about profit-oriented moves if they're only interested in profit themselves. You can't have it both ways. If they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/the-thing-is-people-can-t-complain-about-profit-oriented-moves-if/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [What people don't understand is that the underground that existed was created in the early 80s and was thriving throughout the 80s. Until the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/what-people-don-t-understand-is-that-the-underground-that-existed-was/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [I think that people are constantly thinking about capturing things that they're not actually present for the moment they're trying to capture. I'm quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-think-that-people-are-constantly-thinking-about-capturing-things/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [ I'd much rather talk to a 30-year old that survived rough times in their lives \[practicing Straight Edge\] rather than someone that was harmed… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-d-much-rather-talk-to-a-30-year-old-that-survived-rough-times-in/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [ For most people who have or who do identify as or with \[song\] Straight Edge, I feel like for most people, they're just trying… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/for-most-people-who-have-or-who-do-identify-as-or-with-song-straight/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [The Corcoran show was actually almost a reportage. The exhibit was, in many ways, pretty unique. It was one of the first pieces about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/the-corcoran-show-was-actually-almost-a-reportage-the-exhibit-was-in/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [The Fugazi Live Series site, when we realized the Internet, the way it works - the speeds and its development - made it possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/the-fugazi-live-series-site-when-we-realized-the-internet-the-way-it/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [I'm always happy when I hear about people selling records or selling books or selling movies. It makes me proud of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-m-always-happy-when-i-hear-about-people-selling-records-or-selling/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [An unlocked door means that, occasionally, you might get a devil come in, but a locked door means you have thousands of angels just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/an-unlocked-door-means-that-occasionally-you-might-get-a-devil-come/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [I consider the piano my 'main' instrument and have been playing for as long as I can remember. It seems to me that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-consider-the-piano-my-main-instrument-and-have-been-playing-for-as/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [I work so I don't need to make rent through my songs, and I think if more people engaged with music without needing it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-work-so-i-don-t-need-to-make-rent-through-my-songs-and-i-think-if/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [Guy Picciotto had a really sound point: Live albums basically have bands playing songs that are available on studio records, and what example can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/guy-picciotto-had-a-really-sound-point-live-albums-basically-have/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [I think that the idea of straight edge, the song that I wrote, and the way people have related it it, there's some people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/i-think-that-the-idea-of-straight-edge-the-song-that-i-wrote-and-the/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) [Explore all 132 Ian MacKaye quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) ## More Business quotes > [Companies with cultures that celebrate diverse opinions and encourage the exchange of ideas have an advantage when solving difficult problems. A company that doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-mcmillon/companies-with-cultures-that-celebrate-diverse-opinions-and-encourage/) [Doug McMillon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-mcmillon/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Take some books and read; that’s an immense help; and books are always good company if you have the right sort.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louisa-may-alcott/take-some-books-and-read-that-s-an-immense-help-and-books-are-always/) [Louisa May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louisa-may-alcott/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [Nobody has a crystal ball, and part of evolving a business plan is to say, 'I might have said we're going left, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-kavanaugh/nobody-has-a-crystal-ball-and-part-of-evolving-a-business-plan-is-to/) [Ryan Kavanaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-kavanaugh/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/) [Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [It's not just that families can't buy a home or start a business without some savings tucked away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cooper/it-s-not-just-that-families-can-t-buy-a-home-or-start-a-business/) [Jim Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cooper/) > [I'm not into business at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-mercury/i-m-not-into-business-at-all/) [Freddie Mercury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-mercury/) > [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) [Browse all 39,016 Business quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Major labels didn't start showing up really until they smelled money, and that's all they're ever going to be attracted to is money-that's the business they're in- making money.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ian MacKaye" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/major-labels-didn-t-start-showing-up-really-until-they-smelled-money/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Business" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/major-labels-didn-t-start-showing-up-really-until-they-smelled-money/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa1/ian-mackaye-3369_business_major-labels-didn-t-start-showing-up-rea_2981537.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa1/ian-mackaye-3369_business_major-labels-didn-t-start-showing-up-rea_2981537.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa1/ian-mackaye-3369_business_major-labels-didn-t-start-showing-up-rea_2981537.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Major labels didn't start showing up really until they smelled money, and that's all they're ever going to…” — Ian MacKaye", "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": "Ian MacKaye", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Major labels didn't start showing up...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/major-labels-didn-t-start-showing-up-really-until-they-smelled-money/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/major-labels-didn-t-start-showing-up-really-until-they-smelled-money/#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 } } ] } ```