---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I like to have songs with me that have…"
description: "\"I like to have songs with me that have substance. That's missing from a lot of today's music. You might hear a song with a catchy beat, but what's it a..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/jennifer-hudson-3443_beats_i-like-to-have-songs-with-me-that-have-s_3218645.png"
---

#  I like to have songs with me that have substance. That's…

![“I like to have songs with me that have substance. That's missing from a lot of today's music. You might hear a song with a catchy beat, but what's it about? It's not empowering or helping anyone.” quote by Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/jennifer-hudson-3443_beats_i-like-to-have-songs-with-me-that-have-s_3218645.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/jennifer-hudson-3443_beats_i-like-to-have-songs-with-me-that-have-s_3218645.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/jennifer-hudson-3443_beats_i-like-to-have-songs-with-me-that-have-s_3218645.png)

> “I like to have songs with me that have substance. That's missing from a lot of today's music. You might hear a song with a catchy beat, but what's it about? It's not empowering or helping anyone.”

[Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote critiques modern pop for lacking depth, urging songs to convey meaningful, empowering messages rather than just catchy beats.

**In simple terms:** Music should have substance, not just rhythm.

Key Takeaway

Seek depth in music choices.

Themes

music quality meaning empowerment

Mood

reflective critical

Type

observational critical

When to use this quote

- playlist curation
- songwriting
- radio programming
- personal listening habits

Key Concepts

cultural critique artistic integrity

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you prioritize lyrics over melody?
- How does meaningful music affect you?

A Different Perspective

Not all listeners prioritize lyrical depth; some value escapism.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Empowering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/empowering/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Today 's music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today-s-music/)

## Related quotes

> [I've never been an artist that really got into fluff songs. I like songs that have substance to them. I think sometimes that may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-lawrence/i-ve-never-been-an-artist-that-really-got-into-fluff-songs-i-like/)

[Tracy Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-lawrence/)

> [And looking at today's music scene, I think it's cool that there are a lot of consumers and fans not limited by what radio…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juice-newton/and-looking-at-today-s-music-scene-i-think-it-s-cool-that-there-are-a/)

[Juice Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juice-newton/)

> [As for today's music, Nicki Minaj is killing it. She's an amazing artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neon-hitch/as-for-today-s-music-nicki-minaj-is-killing-it-she-s-an-amazing-artist/)

[Neon Hitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neon-hitch/)

> [Most of today's music is done electronically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/klaus-schulze/most-of-today-s-music-is-done-electronically/)

[Klaus Schulze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/klaus-schulze/)

> [Any song has to be catchy. People think class films are tough and mass films come easy. But that's not true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devi-sri-prasad/any-song-has-to-be-catchy-people-think-class-films-are-tough-and-mass/)

[Devi Sri Prasad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devi-sri-prasad/)

> [And you have a record company behind it, this is a key too, you need people to fight for your records, at least a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/and-you-have-a-record-company-behind-it-this-is-a-key-too-you-need/)

[Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/)

> [I think that a good song is catchy, and a great song is not catchy - but it has a deeper meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-barnett/i-think-that-a-good-song-is-catchy-and-a-great-song-is-not-catchy-but/)

[Courtney Barnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-barnett/)

> [I love listening to the radio because there's something about that discovery, that platform, still being the main medium. And it is changing with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maren-morris/i-love-listening-to-the-radio-because-there-s-something-about-that/)

[Maren Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maren-morris/)

> [The quality of a timeless song is that it's catchy, meaningful and relatable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omi/the-quality-of-a-timeless-song-is-that-it-s-catchy-meaningful-and/)

OMI

> [That I can't relate to today's music or morals doesn't make either necessarily bad. Just different. I leave the judgements to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perry-como/that-i-can-t-relate-to-today-s-music-or-morals-doesn-t-make-either/)

[Perry Como](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perry-como/)

> [My hope is that out of all the anger and seeming hostility that we hear in some of today's music will come some sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberta-flack/my-hope-is-that-out-of-all-the-anger-and-seeming-hostility-that-we/)

[Roberta Flack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberta-flack/)

> [I think the hymns give us a glimpse of the generations before us, and what was important to them at the time. Even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bart-millard/i-think-the-hymns-give-us-a-glimpse-of-the-generations-before-us-and/)

[Bart Millard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bart-millard/)

> [Call me a relic, call me what you will, say I'm old fashion, say I'm over the hill. Today's music ain't got the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/call-me-a-relic-call-me-what-you-will-say-i-m-old-fashion-say-i-m/)

[Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/)

> [This whole problem can be stated quite simply by asking, “Is there a meaning to music?” My answer to that would be, “Yes.” And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-copland/this-whole-problem-can-be-stated-quite-simply-by-asking-is-there-a/)

[Aaron Copland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-copland/)

> [After all, in today's music scene every band seems to steal from other bands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maynard-james-keenan/after-all-in-today-s-music-scene-every-band-seems-to-steal-from-other/)

[Maynard James Keenan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maynard-james-keenan/)

## More by Jennifer Hudson

> [Ever since grammar school, I knew I wanted to be famous - I always wanted to be a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/ever-since-grammar-school-i-knew-i-wanted-to-be-famous-i-always/)

[Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/)

> [To me, the biggest notes and the longest notes are the easiest notes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/to-me-the-biggest-notes-and-the-longest-notes-are-the-easiest-notes/)

[Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/)

> [When people said Africa would change me, I didn't understand what they meant. To see the poverty in the townships, for instance, is overwhelming.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/when-people-said-africa-would-change-me-i-didn-t-understand-what-they/)

[Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/)

> [Are you a guard in prison maximum security? Is that you? is that you? Is that you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/are-you-a-guard-in-prison-maximum-security-is-that-you-is-that-you-is/)

[Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/)

> [Appearance can always be changed, but the talent stays the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/appearance-can-always-be-changed-but-the-talent-stays-the-same/)

[Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/)

> [I was a homebody growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/i-was-a-homebody-growing-up/)

[Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/)

> [My son is very into music and really familiar with my voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/my-son-is-very-into-music-and-really-familiar-with-my-voice/)

[Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/)

> [You're not living if you don't go out and try things for yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/you-re-not-living-if-you-don-t-go-out-and-try-things-for-yourself/)

[Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/)

> [If you can’t take responsibility for your own well-being, you will never take control over it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/if-you-can-t-take-responsibility-for-your-own-well-being-you-will/)

[Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/)

> [I am in control of all decisions that have to do with my image, which means that no one will decide what’s right for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/i-am-in-control-of-all-decisions-that-have-to-do-with-my-image-which/)

[Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/)

> [The key thing is figuring out what your issues are, and it's really never about the food. You have to be real and honest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/the-key-thing-is-figuring-out-what-your-issues-are-and-it-s-really/)

[Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/)

> [Is this a relationship. Fulfilling your needs as well as mine? Is that you? Is that you? Is that you?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/is-this-a-relationship-fulfilling-your-needs-as-well-as-mine-is-that/)

[Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/)

> [I think to each its own, if nobody is hurting anybody-who cares? Everyone should be able to do what they want and be happy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/i-think-to-each-its-own-if-nobody-is-hurting-anybody-who-cares/)

[Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/)

> [I'm selfish cause I don't wanna share him, with nobody not even those people that came before me. But see I never believe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/i-m-selfish-cause-i-don-t-wanna-share-him-with-nobody-not-even-those/)

[Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/)

> [I'm prouder of my weight loss than my Oscar! I hope it has inspired people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/i-m-prouder-of-my-weight-loss-than-my-oscar-i-hope-it-has-inspired/)

[Jennifer Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/)

[Explore all 130 Jennifer Hudson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/)

## More Beats quotes

> [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/)

[Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/)

> [So many things beat upon us in a lifetime that simply enduring may seem almost beyond us… But the test a loving God has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/so-many-things-beat-upon-us-in-a-lifetime-that-simply-enduring-may/)

[Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/)

> [The Beat Generation, that was a vision that we had, John Clellon Holmes and I, and Allen Ginsberg in an even wilder way, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/the-beat-generation-that-was-a-vision-that-we-had-john-clellon-holmes/)

[Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/)

> [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/)

[Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/)

> [I usually write from the rhythm section...If a drummer got a funky beat on some things - like a half-shuffle or a shuffle or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miles-davis/i-usually-write-from-the-rhythm-section-if-a-drummer-got-a-funky-beat/)

[Miles Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miles-davis/)

> [If you don't like club beats take a HIT OF E and you will love the music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/if-you-don-t-like-club-beats-take-a-hit-of-e-and-you-will-love-the/)

[Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/)

> [Every pitcher can beat you, it doesn't matter how good you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-bonds/every-pitcher-can-beat-you-it-doesn-t-matter-how-good-you-are/)

[Barry Bonds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-bonds/)

> [Only two to three per cent of an audience is interested in words and pays attention to lyrics; most of the rest of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/only-two-to-three-per-cent-of-an-audience-is-interested-in-words-and/)

[Al Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stewart/)

> [Joel Lane documents a life we don’t quite live, in a city we can’t quite find: half glimpsed and half imagined, we know it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaz-brenchley/joel-lane-documents-a-life-we-don-t-quite-live-in-a-city-we-can-t/)

Chaz Brenchley

> [Practice to beat the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bennett/practice-to-beat-the-best/)

[Dick Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bennett/)

> [I don't know about the rest of the world, but I know in our region everyone is gunning to beat us. We have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/landon-donovan/i-don-t-know-about-the-rest-of-the-world-but-i-know-in-our-region/)

[Landon Donovan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/landon-donovan/)

> [Grand business plans are all very well, but nothing beats dipping your toe in the water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baron-bilimoria-karan-bilimoria/grand-business-plans-are-all-very-well-but-nothing-beats-dipping-your/)

Baron Bilimoria Karan Bilimoria

> [Let a man who has to make his fortune in life remember this maxim: Attacking is the only secret. Dare and the world yields,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/let-a-man-who-has-to-make-his-fortune-in-life-remember-this-maxim/)

[William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/)

> [Imagine if you were a drummer, and you accidentally picked up two magic wands instead of sticks. There you are, keeping the beat, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-hedberg/imagine-if-you-were-a-drummer-and-you-accidentally-picked-up-two/)

[Mitch Hedberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-hedberg/)

> [I don't like small birds. They hop around so merrily outside my window, looking so innocent. but I know that secretly, they're watching my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-like-small-birds-they-hop-around-so-merrily-outside-my-window/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

Browse all 3,311 Beats quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I like to have songs with me that have substance. That's missing from a lot of today's music. You might hear a song with a catchy beat, but what's it about? It's not empowering or helping anyone.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jennifer Hudson"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/i-like-to-have-songs-with-me-that-have-substance-that-s-missing-from/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Beats"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/i-like-to-have-songs-with-me-that-have-substance-that-s-missing-from/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/jennifer-hudson-3443_beats_i-like-to-have-songs-with-me-that-have-s_3218645.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/jennifer-hudson-3443_beats_i-like-to-have-songs-with-me-that-have-s_3218645.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c54/jennifer-hudson-3443_beats_i-like-to-have-songs-with-me-that-have-s_3218645.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I like to have songs with me that have substance. That's missing from a lot of today's music. You might hear…” — Jennifer Hudson",
                "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": "Jennifer Hudson",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-hudson/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I like to have songs with...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/i-like-to-have-songs-with-me-that-have-substance-that-s-missing-from/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-hudson/i-like-to-have-songs-with-me-that-have-substance-that-s-missing-from/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
