--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Music is everybody's possession. It's…" description: "\"Music is everybody's possession. It's only publishers who think that people own it.\" — John Lennon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77a/john-lennon-322_music_music-is-everybody-s-possession-it-s-onl_1699000.jpg" --- # Music is everybody's possession. It's only publishers who… ![“Music is everybody's possession. It's only publishers who think that people own it.” quote by John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77a/john-lennon-322_music_music-is-everybody-s-possession-it-s-onl_1699000.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77a/john-lennon-322_music_music-is-everybody-s-possession-it-s-onl_1699000.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/77a/john-lennon-322_music_music-is-everybody-s-possession-it-s-onl_1699000.jpg) > “Music is everybody's possession. It's only publishers who think that people own it.” [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Music belongs to everyone, but legal systems treat it as private property, limiting shared cultural experience **In simple terms:** Music is universal, yet ownership laws restrict it Key Takeaway Advocate for open access and fair sharing of music Themes art property culture Mood critical hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - streaming services - public performances - educational use - community events Key Concepts copyright public domain digital sharing Questions to Reflect On - What would a world without music copyrights look like? - How can artists be fairly compensated while sharing freely? A Different Perspective Legal frameworks can hinder artistic freedom and public enjoyment ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Publishers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publishers/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [“Music is everybody's business. It's only the publishers who think people own it”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/music-is-everybody-s-business-it-s-only-the-publishers-who-think/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Music is everybody's possession. It's only publishers who think that people own it. If you were going to give Rock 'n' Roll another name…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/music-is-everybody-s-possession-it-s-only-publishers-who-think-that-2/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Music is everybody's possession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/music-is-everybody-s-possession/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [People have bad things to say about publishers, but I think they still have services, and I want to see what they are. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/people-have-bad-things-to-say-about-publishers-but-i-think-they-still/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [Though the blame cannot be placed entirely on publishers, I do think a more diverse pool of editors would go a long way toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-pinkney/though-the-blame-cannot-be-placed-entirely-on-publishers-i-do-think-a/) [Jerry Pinkney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-pinkney/) > [What we publishers think is that our function is to bring everything out into the open, on the theory that we have an adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxwell-perkins/what-we-publishers-think-is-that-our-function-is-to-bring-everything/) [Maxwell Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxwell-perkins/) > [“I don’t know why the publishers in New York don’t take a tip from Hollywood and just publish the outlines of novels rather than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-reilly/i-don-t-know-why-the-publishers-in-new-york-don-t-take-a-tip-from/) [Gary Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-reilly/) > [I don't need anybody to market or promote me. If people don't want to hear this music, then it's not for them. You cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauryn-hill/i-don-t-need-anybody-to-market-or-promote-me-if-people-don-t-want-to/) [Lauryn Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauryn-hill/) > [There's no meaning to life without music. Everybody has their own connect with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-kher/there-s-no-meaning-to-life-without-music-everybody-has-their-own/) [Kailash Kher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-kher/) > [Well, I don't let anyone record with me that is not a fan of mine or believe in my music. Everybody that records for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-stanley/well-i-don-t-let-anyone-record-with-me-that-is-not-a-fan-of-mine-or/) [Ralph Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-stanley/) > [I grew up in a family where, when we listened to music everybody would dance, so for me that's a very natural thing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jain/i-grew-up-in-a-family-where-when-we-listened-to-music-everybody-would/) [Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jain/) > [I never heard so many kids talk about just doing anything to be famous. I mean, yeah, fame is part of the deal when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-never-heard-so-many-kids-talk-about-just-doing-anything-to-be/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I'm just trying to make music everybody can get happy to and vibe to and turn up to. So long as I keep making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/post-malone/i-m-just-trying-to-make-music-everybody-can-get-happy-to-and-vibe-to/) [Post Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/post-malone/) > [I don't make a particular distinction between 'high art' and 'low art.' Music is there for everybody. It's a river we can all put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/i-don-t-make-a-particular-distinction-between-high-art-and-low-art/) [John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/) > [I think a great artist should be able to create any style, any form, anything from rock to pop to gospel to spiritual, just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-think-a-great-artist-should-be-able-to-create-any-style-any-form/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) ## More by John Lennon > [Well, I don't want to be king, I want to be real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/well-i-don-t-want-to-be-king-i-want-to-be-real/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [ We went to America a few times and \[Brian\] Epstein always tried to waffle on at us about saying nothing about Vietnam. So there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/we-went-to-america-a-few-times-and-brian-epstein-always-tried-to/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [As someone from the working class I was always interested in Russia and China and everything that related to the working class, even though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/as-someone-from-the-working-class-i-was-always-interested-in-russia/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I never went to high school reunions. My thing is, out of sight, out of mind. That's my attitude toward life. So I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-never-went-to-high-school-reunions-my-thing-is-out-of-sight-out-of/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Today's folk song is rock and roll. Although it happened to emanate from America, that's not really important in the end because we wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/today-s-folk-song-is-rock-and-roll-although-it-happened-to-emanate/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [If you want to get peace, you can get it as soon as you like if we all pull together. ... Think peace, live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/if-you-want-to-get-peace-you-can-get-it-as-soon-as-you-like-if-we-all/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [The reason why kids are crazy is because nobody can face the responsibility of bringing them up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-reason-why-kids-are-crazy-is-because-nobody-can-face-the/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [In my case I've never not been political, though religion tended to overshadow it in my acid days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/in-my-case-i-ve-never-not-been-political-though-religion-tended-to/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I wasn't saying whatever they're saying I was saying. I'm sorry I said it really. I never meant it to be a lousy anti-religious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-wasn-t-saying-whatever-they-re-saying-i-was-saying-i-m-sorry-i-said/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Songwriting is about getting the demon out of me. It's like being possessed. You try to go to sleep, but the song won't let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/songwriting-is-about-getting-the-demon-out-of-me-it-s-like-being/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Imagine there's no heaven... it's easy if you try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/imagine-there-s-no-heaven-it-s-easy-if-you-try/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Man, you should have seen them kicking Edgar Allan Poe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/man-you-should-have-seen-them-kicking-edgar-allan-poe/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [Love is like a flower - you've got to let it grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/love-is-like-a-flower-you-ve-got-to-let-it-grow/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [I don't know which will go first - rock 'n' roll or Christianity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/i-don-t-know-which-will-go-first-rock-n-roll-or-christianity/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) > [The main hangup in the world today is hypocrisy and insecurity. If people can't face up to the fact of other people being naked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lennon/the-main-hangup-in-the-world-today-is-hypocrisy-and-insecurity-if/) [John Lennon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) [Explore all 681 John Lennon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lennon/) ## More Music quotes > [I feel like I definitely have a real sporty style, more so than a lot of people in G.O.O.D. Music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/i-feel-like-i-definitely-have-a-real-sporty-style-more-so-than-a-lot/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I'm at the edge of the world, Where do I go from here? Do I disappear? Edge of the world, Should I sink or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bring-me-the-horizon/i-m-at-the-edge-of-the-world-where-do-i-go-from-here-do-i-disappear/) [Bring Me The Horizon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bring-me-the-horizon/) > [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [When you listen to someone improvise, the notes that are played are only half the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-laws/when-you-listen-to-someone-improvise-the-notes-that-are-played-are/) Hubert Laws > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [ “Downloading's the same as what I used to do. I used to tape the charts of the songs I liked \[off the radio\]. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-gallagher/downloading-s-the-same-as-what-i-used-to-do-i-used-to-tape-the-charts/) [Liam Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-gallagher/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [Each woman is like an instrument, waiting to be learned, loved, and finely played, to have at last her own true music made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/each-woman-is-like-an-instrument-waiting-to-be-learned-loved-and/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I want people to hear my lyrics and my melodies and say, 'That dude's in pain.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-moody/i-want-people-to-hear-my-lyrics-and-my-melodies-and-say-that-dude-s/) [Ivan Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-moody/) > [I make dance music because I love to dance. But I want to think at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-make-dance-music-because-i-love-to-dance-but-i-want-to-think-at-the/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) Adam Ant > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) [Browse all 55,293 Music quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Music is everybody's possession. 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