--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I don't write music for critics or…" description: "\"I don't write music for critics or hipsters. I write for me.\" — John Rzeznik" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/john-rzeznik-3305_critics_i-don-t-write-music-for-critics-or-hipst_3054286.png" --- # I don't write music for critics or hipsters. I write for me. ![“I don't write music for critics or hipsters. I write for me.” quote by John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/john-rzeznik-3305_critics_i-don-t-write-music-for-critics-or-hipst_3054286.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/john-rzeznik-3305_critics_i-don-t-write-music-for-critics-or-hipst_3054286.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/301/john-rzeznik-3305_critics_i-don-t-write-music-for-critics-or-hipst_3054286.png) > “I don't write music for critics or hipsters. I write for me.” [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He creates music for personal fulfillment, not to please critics or trendsetters. **In simple terms:** He writes for himself, not for others. Key Takeaway Prioritize authentic expression. Themes authenticity creativity individualism Mood reflective determined Type artistic personal When to use this quote - songwriting - personal projects - creative blocks - public performance Key Concepts self‑expression artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - How does personal authenticity affect artistic success? - What sacrifices are made when ignoring external validation? A Different Perspective May alienate audiences seeking mainstream appeal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Critics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critics/) [Critics Hipsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critics-hipsters-5094005/) [Don Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-write/) [Hipster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hipster/) [Hipsters Write](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hipsters-write-5094004/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music Critics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-critics-1023658/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Write Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/write-music/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I don't ever go and write music for an album. That's not something I do. I don't go and write music for an audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-hart/i-don-t-ever-go-and-write-music-for-an-album-that-s-not-something-i/) [Beth Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-hart/) > [If I don't feel anything, I don't write music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-lloyd/if-i-don-t-feel-anything-i-don-t-write-music/) [Dennis Lloyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-lloyd/) > [“I had to say to myself, 'Don't write the music. Let the music write itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/i-had-to-say-to-myself-don-t-write-the-music-let-the-music-write/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [Music critics are, for the most part, bitter people who are intent at dragging people down for being successful at what they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-stanley/music-critics-are-for-the-most-part-bitter-people-who-are-intent-at/) [Paul Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-stanley/) > [Music critics get their records for free so their opinions usually don't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-manson/music-critics-get-their-records-for-free-so-their-opinions-usually/) [Marilyn Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-manson/) > [I've never been too worried about all the music critics and stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-shomo/i-ve-never-been-too-worried-about-all-the-music-critics-and-stuff/) [Caleb Shomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-shomo/) > [Music critics are part of the world, and I am part of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-eddy/music-critics-are-part-of-the-world-and-i-am-part-of-the-world/) [Chuck Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-eddy/) > [There's a small group of music critics in the States who will forgive you anything - jazz, a long prison term, or what have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-previn/there-s-a-small-group-of-music-critics-in-the-states-who-will-forgive/) [Andre Previn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-previn/) > [My thing has always been that the clothing we make is kind of like music. There are always critics that don't understand that young…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-jebbia/my-thing-has-always-been-that-the-clothing-we-make-is-kind-of-like/) [James Jebbia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-jebbia/) > [I had another dream the other day about music critics. They were small and rodent-like with padlocked ears, as if they had stepped out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/igor-stravinsky/i-had-another-dream-the-other-day-about-music-critics-they-were-small/) [Igor Stravinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/igor-stravinsky/) > [Music critics think of lyrics first and don't consider melody but so many songs are lyrically depressing but musically great, and that's why they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aloe-blacc/music-critics-think-of-lyrics-first-and-don-t-consider-melody-but-so/) [Aloe Blacc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aloe-blacc/) > [Music critics have made it quite clear that any composer who ever contributed a four-bar jingle to a film was to be referred to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-previn/music-critics-have-made-it-quite-clear-that-any-composer-who-ever/) [Andre Previn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-previn/) > [I don't write a lot of fiction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/i-don-t-write-a-lot-of-fiction/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [I don't write my own publicity materials, I just read 'em and give 'em the OK.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-darnielle/i-don-t-write-my-own-publicity-materials-i-just-read-em-and-give-em/) [John Darnielle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-darnielle/) > [I don't write for any particular kind of person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wesley/i-don-t-write-for-any-particular-kind-of-person/) [Mary Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wesley/) ## More by John Rzeznik > [I think about my daughter when I'm doing stuff, and I want to see it through her eyes, and I want her to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/i-think-about-my-daughter-when-i-m-doing-stuff-and-i-want-to-see-it/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [There are a lot of reasons to be hated in pop culture, and being a straight white male is one of them. In fact,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/there-are-a-lot-of-reasons-to-be-hated-in-pop-culture-and-being-a/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [Just call us the band that wouldn't die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/just-call-us-the-band-that-wouldn-t-die/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [The business of making music is changing so radically because of the Internet. It's become a lot more democratic in one respect, but in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/the-business-of-making-music-is-changing-so-radically-because-of-the/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [Every day somebody comes up to me and says, 'That song really helped me through a difficult time,' or 'That's me and my wife's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/every-day-somebody-comes-up-to-me-and-says-that-song-really-helped-me/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [Whether you are happy or miserable is completely a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/whether-you-are-happy-or-miserable-is-completely-a-choice/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [“Doesn't it make you sad to know that life is not about who we are”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/doesn-t-it-make-you-sad-to-know-that-life-is-not-about-who-we-are/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [I got really sick of playing just, like, 'Bop-bop-bop-bada-bop-bop-bada-rapa-pah.' Just playing that 190-beats-per-minute punk-rock songs, I didn't feel it anymore. And I always loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/i-got-really-sick-of-playing-just-like-bop-bop-bop-bada-bop-bop-bada/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [The only way you fail is if you quit. That has always sort of been pounded into my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/the-only-way-you-fail-is-if-you-quit-that-has-always-sort-of-been/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [There was always a guitar hanging around the house when I was a kid. It was a much lower impact instrument than me playing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/there-was-always-a-guitar-hanging-around-the-house-when-i-was-a-kid/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [Marriage is a really scary thing. I'm excited about it. I know it's not a mistake, it's the absolute right thing to do. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/marriage-is-a-really-scary-thing-i-m-excited-about-it-i-know-it-s-not/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [I want to cultivate my own sound in my own atmosphere, where the clock is not running.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/i-want-to-cultivate-my-own-sound-in-my-own-atmosphere-where-the-clock/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [In my family, my earliest memory of you get out of line is - BAM! It was a lot of corporal punishment. But you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/in-my-family-my-earliest-memory-of-you-get-out-of-line-is-bam-it-was/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [It's a crazy world!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/it-s-a-crazy-world/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) > [I'm a guy so I equate vulnerability with fear. What makes me fearful. I feel vulnerable when I release material, my work, to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-rzeznik/i-m-a-guy-so-i-equate-vulnerability-with-fear-what-makes-me-fearful-i/) [John Rzeznik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) [Explore all 134 John Rzeznik quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-rzeznik/) ## More Critics quotes > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Critics are biased, and so are readers. (Indeed, a critic is a bundle of biases held loosely together by a sense of taste.) But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-balliett/critics-are-biased-and-so-are-readers-indeed-a-critic-is-a-bundle-of/) [Whitney Balliett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-balliett/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [Popular culture as a whole is popular, but in today's fragmented market it's a jostle of competing unpopular popular cultures. As the critic Stanley…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-steyn/popular-culture-as-a-whole-is-popular-but-in-today-s-fragmented/) [Mark Steyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-steyn/) > [There was a cultural war going on, the '60s was going on. All the film critics were square.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/there-was-a-cultural-war-going-on-the-60s-was-going-on-all-the-film/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [Capitalists have done more good for society through their charitable giving, philanthropy and generosity than all their critics combined.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-cook/capitalists-have-done-more-good-for-society-through-their-charitable/) [James Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-cook/) > [I get that the media wants us to play theater critics and critique every other proposal. What I'm focusing on are my own policy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/i-get-that-the-media-wants-us-to-play-theater-critics-and-critique/) [Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/) > [The Yippies, their lifestyle is different from mine. But I consider Jerry Rubin and Abbie Hoffman inspired critics of the kind of society that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/the-yippies-their-lifestyle-is-different-from-mine-but-i-consider/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [This one goes out to all my critics: don't you feel stupid? Look how I did it. Look how it came to pass when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicki-minaj/this-one-goes-out-to-all-my-critics-don-t-you-feel-stupid-look-how-i/) [Nicki Minaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicki-minaj/) > [There's a lot of stuff I want to do, just things that I want to explore that don't involve show business. I'm going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-sheen/there-s-a-lot-of-stuff-i-want-to-do-just-things-that-i-want-to/) [Charlie Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-sheen/) > [Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/whatever-course-you-decide-upon-there-is-always-someone-to-tell-you/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Nearly all the writing of our time is likely to disappear in a hundred years. Certainly most readers - and nearly all critics -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dirda/nearly-all-the-writing-of-our-time-is-likely-to-disappear-in-a/) [Michael Dirda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dirda/) > [David Rockefeller is the most conspicuous representative today of the ruling class, a multinational fraternity of men who shape the global economy and manage…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/david-rockefeller-is-the-most-conspicuous-representative-today-of-the/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [The boundaries between contemporary art and cinema are so rigid. It's unbelievable. The film critics don't know my artwork and the art world doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/the-boundaries-between-contemporary-art-and-cinema-are-so-rigid-it-s/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [A certain type of critic doesn't really want French movies to be visual. They think movies started from books and they forgot this part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-tautou/a-certain-type-of-critic-doesn-t-really-want-french-movies-to-be/) [Audrey Tautou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-tautou/) [Browse all 2,637 Critics quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critics/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I don't write music for critics or hipsters. 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