--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It would have been better if the first…" description: "\"It would have been better if the first album sold well, the second sold better and the third really took off. Maybe that would've prepared me a little ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd8/jani-lane-13323_better_it-would-have-been-better-if-the-first-a_113104.jpg" --- # It would have been better if the first album sold well… ![“It would have been better if the first album sold well, the second sold better and the third really took off. Maybe that would've prepared me a little better for it. But the first time you ever release an album, to have it sell millions - it's a tough act to follow.” quote by Jani Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd8/jani-lane-13323_better_it-would-have-been-better-if-the-first-a_113104.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd8/jani-lane-13323_better_it-would-have-been-better-if-the-first-a_113104.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd8/jani-lane-13323_better_it-would-have-been-better-if-the-first-a_113104.jpg) > “It would have been better if the first album sold well, the second sold better and the third really took off. Maybe that would've prepared me a little better for it. But the first time you ever release an album, to have it sell millions - it's a tough act to follow.” [Jani Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jani-lane/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early commercial success creates high expectations, making subsequent achievements feel insufficient by comparison. **In simple terms:** First hit sets a hard standard for later work. Key Takeaway Success can become a pressure cooker for future projects. Themes success expectations career pressure Mood anxious reflective Type industry insight personal When to use this quote - musicians releasing debut albums - start‑up founders after a big launch - athletes after a record win Key Concepts psychology of achievement Practical Applications - manage expectations early - focus on artistic growth over sales Questions to Reflect On - How can one balance artistic integrity with commercial pressure? - What strategies help reset expectations after a hit? A Different Perspective Not all creators feel pressured; some thrive on early success. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The orbs have probably sold better through catalogs because they can be categorized unlike at most stores.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-rose/the-orbs-have-probably-sold-better-through-catalogs-because-they-can/) [David Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-rose/) > [“good and I’m going to find the formula that will put it over. The market is saturated. Imagine, 75 percent of the potential has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-j-schwartz/good-and-i-m-going-to-find-the-formula-that-will-put-it-over-the/) [David J. Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-j-schwartz/) > [If I cut an album now and sell it for ten bucks, I can put seven dollars and fifty cents in my pocket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-gilley/if-i-cut-an-album-now-and-sell-it-for-ten-bucks-i-can-put-seven/) [Mickey Gilley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-gilley/) > [Rappers hate each other, not the labels that got rich, Don't care about culture, they only want profit. If your album sell slow, bet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormega/rappers-hate-each-other-not-the-labels-that-got-rich-don-t-care-about/) [Cormega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormega/) > [I'm really glad we came up when we did. When we got started, the record companies were concerned with building careers. They made sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-bailey/i-m-really-glad-we-came-up-when-we-did-when-we-got-started-the-record/) [Philip Bailey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-bailey/) > [The first Velvet Underground album only sold 10,000 copies, but everyone who bought it formed a band](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/the-first-velvet-underground-album-only-sold-10-000-copies-but/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [The 'Frampton' album sold better than all of the other solo records that I'd had, put together. It was over 300,000 copies, so that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-frampton/the-frampton-album-sold-better-than-all-of-the-other-solo-records/) [Peter Frampton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-frampton/) > [Our first album sold a million copies. Because we had such a big hit on the first album, it's always like, 'You can't top…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-hwang/our-first-album-sold-a-million-copies-because-we-had-such-a-big-hit/) [Tiffany Hwang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-hwang/) > [When you question who's one of the greatest of all time lyrically... I don't sell a lot of records, but it's all good, man.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/inspectah-deck/when-you-question-who-s-one-of-the-greatest-of-all-time-lyrically-i/) [Inspectah Deck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/inspectah-deck/) > [Before MTV, if you put out an album that sold 50,000 copies, your band could afford not to have day jobs for a while.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mothersbaugh/before-mtv-if-you-put-out-an-album-that-sold-50-000-copies-your-band/) [Mark Mothersbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mothersbaugh/) > [That's why it's called Sebastian Bach. I mean, it's a permanent band, pretty much, but if I jam with other people, it just makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-bach/that-s-why-it-s-called-sebastian-bach-i-mean-it-s-a-permanent-band/) [Sebastian Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-bach/) > [There's no other rapper that will drop a better album than me. No one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-the-kid/there-s-no-other-rapper-that-will-drop-a-better-album-than-me-no-one/) [Rich the Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-the-kid/) > [I knew I had I a better album than 'Up the Bracket' in me, and I wanted to record it. But I was told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-doherty/i-knew-i-had-i-a-better-album-than-up-the-bracket-in-me-and-i-wanted/) [Pete Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-doherty/) > [There's no album in 2016 that's better than my album.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tory-lanez/there-s-no-album-in-2016-that-s-better-than-my-album/) [Tory Lanez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tory-lanez/) > [Mixtapes are very personal, and they describe who you are better than an album sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theophilus-london/mixtapes-are-very-personal-and-they-describe-who-you-are-better-than/) [Theophilus London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theophilus-london/) ## More by Jani Lane > [My purpose is to write, be creative; to take my God-given talent and do something positive with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jani-lane/my-purpose-is-to-write-be-creative-to-take-my-god-given-talent-and-do/) [Jani Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jani-lane/) > [I give a lot of credit to 'Cherry Pie.' It has stood the test of time. It's a little catchy. It's a little tongue-in-cheek.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jani-lane/i-give-a-lot-of-credit-to-cherry-pie-it-has-stood-the-test-of-time-it/) [Jani Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jani-lane/) > [I'm not founded on the notion that any press is good press.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jani-lane/i-m-not-founded-on-the-notion-that-any-press-is-good-press/) [Jani Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jani-lane/) > [People can call us chauvinist pigs. We expect it. But there are two definitions of chauvinism. One is an unfounded loyalty to one's own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jani-lane/people-can-call-us-chauvinist-pigs-we-expect-it-but-there-are-two/) [Jani Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jani-lane/) > [When critics say we're no good, it's just the cool thing to do. I'm happy with the songs I write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jani-lane/when-critics-say-we-re-no-good-it-s-just-the-cool-thing-to-do-i-m/) [Jani Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jani-lane/) > [Eventually, our kind of music, whether it's us or Motley or Poison of whoever, will define the 1980s. That's something to be proud of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jani-lane/eventually-our-kind-of-music-whether-it-s-us-or-motley-or-poison-of/) [Jani Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jani-lane/) > [Stronger Now' is a song from 'Ultraphobic' that I originally wrote to go on 'Dog Eat Dog' but didn't make it but I thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jani-lane/stronger-now-is-a-song-from-ultraphobic-that-i-originally-wrote-to-go/) [Jani Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jani-lane/) > [Not having a stable home life, and then not having a good stable belief system, or whatever, has always sent me into a tailspin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jani-lane/not-having-a-stable-home-life-and-then-not-having-a-good-stable/) [Jani Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jani-lane/) > [It's hard enough to write a song, let alone one that sticks around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jani-lane/it-s-hard-enough-to-write-a-song-let-alone-one-that-sticks-around/) [Jani Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jani-lane/) > [Does '80s metal have the potential to come back as a kitschy, goofy subculture, sort of like disco? Sure. And that would be cool…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jani-lane/does-80s-metal-have-the-potential-to-come-back-as-a-kitschy-goofy/) [Jani Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jani-lane/) > [Music has always been a part of my life since before kindergarten.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jani-lane/music-has-always-been-a-part-of-my-life-since-before-kindergarten/) [Jani Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jani-lane/) > [If I have to sing 'Cherry Pie' one more time in my life I'm going to throw up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jani-lane/if-i-have-to-sing-cherry-pie-one-more-time-in-my-life-i-m-going-to/) [Jani Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jani-lane/) > [I play drums every chance I get. That's the love of my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jani-lane/i-play-drums-every-chance-i-get-that-s-the-love-of-my-life/) [Jani Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jani-lane/) > [I've been playing clubs since I was 11.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jani-lane/i-ve-been-playing-clubs-since-i-was-11/) [Jani Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jani-lane/) > [I've been broke for years. Easy come, easier gone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jani-lane/i-ve-been-broke-for-years-easy-come-easier-gone/) [Jani Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jani-lane/) [Explore all 51 Jani Lane quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jani-lane/) ## More Better quotes > [If what I write is literature, I guess you'd better emphasize the 'litter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-lunch/if-what-i-write-is-literature-i-guess-you-d-better-emphasize-the/) [Lydia Lunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-lunch/) > [Everybody has their cliques, and I was very shy. 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