--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I want to make music that I like; not…" description: "\"I want to make music that I like; not something that I have to make because I think it's going to sell.\" — Macklemore" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/macklemore-3964_music_i-want-to-make-music-that-i-like-not-som_1983231.png" --- # I want to make music that I like; not something that I… ![“I want to make music that I like; not something that I have to make because I think it's going to sell.” quote by Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/macklemore-3964_music_i-want-to-make-music-that-i-like-not-som_1983231.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/macklemore-3964_music_i-want-to-make-music-that-i-like-not-som_1983231.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/macklemore-3964_music_i-want-to-make-music-that-i-like-not-som_1983231.png) > “I want to make music that I like; not something that I have to make because I think it's going to sell.” [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artists should prioritize personal authenticity over market trends, creating work they genuinely enjoy rather than chasing sales. **In simple terms:** Make music you love, not just for profit. Key Takeaway Create from genuine passion. Themes authenticity artistry commercial pressure creativity Mood inspired thoughtful Type philosophical creative When to use this quote - album production - songwriting - live performance - branding Key Concepts Self‑expression industry dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What personal values guide your art? - How do you balance art and business? A Different Perspective Commercial success can still be achieved without compromising vision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I want to make my music and be a happy woman, a good wife, a good mom and one day hopefully have a child…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leann-rimes/i-want-to-make-my-music-and-be-a-happy-woman-a-good-wife-a-good-mom/) [LeAnn Rimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leann-rimes/) > [I just really want to make - to be cliche about it, I want to make pretty music. Like Roy Orbison or Elvis, man.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sturgill-simpson/i-just-really-want-to-make-to-be-cliche-about-it-i-want-to-make/) [Sturgill Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sturgill-simpson/) > [I want to make music that I would like if it came on the radio.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-beer/i-want-to-make-music-that-i-would-like-if-it-came-on-the-radio/) [Madison Beer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-beer/) > [I have to not let anything get to me and not get an ego about it and just do what I want to do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soccer-mommy/i-have-to-not-let-anything-get-to-me-and-not-get-an-ego-about-it-and/) [Soccer Mommy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soccer-mommy/) > [I didn't make music until I was about 18. I'd been playing my whole life, but I wasn't putting it out because I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soccer-mommy/i-didn-t-make-music-until-i-was-about-18-i-d-been-playing-my-whole/) [Soccer Mommy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soccer-mommy/) > [The thing is, I make music I like. So it's just weird if someone says they don't like it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-the-creator-2/the-thing-is-i-make-music-i-like-so-it-s-just-weird-if-someone-says/) [Tyler, The Creator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-the-creator-2/) > [I make music almost, like, every day. But I don't release a lot of music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dj-snake/i-make-music-almost-like-every-day-but-i-don-t-release-a-lot-of-music/) [DJ Snake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dj-snake/) > [I want to make music that stands the test of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bridgit-mendler/i-want-to-make-music-that-stands-the-test-of-time/) [Bridgit Mendler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bridgit-mendler/) > [I want to make music that lots of people will love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seungri/i-want-to-make-music-that-lots-of-people-will-love/) [Seungri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seungri/) > [The truth is I want to make music that people enjoy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-parrish/the-truth-is-i-want-to-make-music-that-people-enjoy/) [Hunter Parrish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-parrish/) > [The priority for me is just to make music that people can connect with. I want to make something fresh that people may not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tinashe/the-priority-for-me-is-just-to-make-music-that-people-can-connect/) [Tinashe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tinashe/) > [I only want to make music because I have a passion for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-lennox/i-only-want-to-make-music-because-i-have-a-passion-for-it/) [Annie Lennox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-lennox/) > [I want to make music. Everything else is secondary and inferior to the fact that I want to make music, and whatever happens will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/skrillex/i-want-to-make-music-everything-else-is-secondary-and-inferior-to-the/) [Skrillex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/skrillex/) > [I think we have done all that we can do to make the music we want to make, and hopefully people will like it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fab-moretti/i-think-we-have-done-all-that-we-can-do-to-make-the-music-we-want-to/) [Fab Moretti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fab-moretti/) > [I do want to make music that people love, but I also want to make music that I love. I know I can't please…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rivers-cuomo/i-do-want-to-make-music-that-people-love-but-i-also-want-to-make/) [Rivers Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rivers-cuomo/) ## More by Macklemore > [Don't forget where you come from Don't die holding on to your words Cause you know you got a whole world to change But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/don-t-forget-where-you-come-from-don-t-die-holding-on-to-your-words/) [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) > [The spirits there to knock you down.But if you make that the end, you'll never know the beauty of being able to stand up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/the-spirits-there-to-knock-you-down-but-if-you-make-that-the-end-you/) [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) > [I got my city right behind me, if I fall, they got me. Learn from that failure gain humility and then we keep marching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/i-got-my-city-right-behind-me-if-i-fall-they-got-me-learn-from-that/) [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) > [I don't control life, but I can control how i react to it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/i-don-t-control-life-but-i-can-control-how-i-react-to-it/) [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) > [They be like 'Oh that Gucci, thats hella tight.' Im like 'Yo, thats fifty dollars for a t-shirt.' Limited edition, lets do some simple…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/they-be-like-oh-that-gucci-thats-hella-tight-im-like-yo-thats-fifty/) [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) > [Live tonight, cuz you can't take it with ya.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/live-tonight-cuz-you-can-t-take-it-with-ya/) [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) > [Sampling is kind of prehistoric, given the technology and the textures you can create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/sampling-is-kind-of-prehistoric-given-the-technology-and-the-textures/) [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) > [This moon man right here stands for a lot more. This is the most important record out of all of them. Gay rights are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/this-moon-man-right-here-stands-for-a-lot-more-this-is-the-most/) [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) > [Hold your head up, there's a light in the sky I know your fed up but you must try to survive Each moment's precious,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/hold-your-head-up-there-s-a-light-in-the-sky-i-know-your-fed-up-but/) [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) > [The greatest trick the devil ever pulled is commiting that women look better in their makeup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/the-greatest-trick-the-devil-ever-pulled-is-commiting-that-women-look/) [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) > ['The more expensive the better' is kind of the American way, and if you spent $600 for a sweatshirt, then that makes it better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/the-more-expensive-the-better-is-kind-of-the-american-way-and-if-you/) [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) > [It's been so long since I've really truly felt what it's like to live life without substances to help. Massive struggle that's natural to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/it-s-been-so-long-since-i-ve-really-truly-felt-what-it-s-like-to-live/) [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) > [Bullying is a national epidemic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/bullying-is-a-national-epidemic/) [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) > [We are what we wear, we wear what we are](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/we-are-what-we-wear-we-wear-what-we-are/) [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) > [I've never been a religious person. I've been a spiritual person since I was about 15, 16, when I was first introduced to Psilocybin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/i-ve-never-been-a-religious-person-i-ve-been-a-spiritual-person-since/) [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) [Explore all 118 Macklemore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) ## 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": "I want to make music that I like; not something that I have to make because I think it's going to sell.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Macklemore" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/i-want-to-make-music-that-i-like-not-something-that-i-have-to-make/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Music" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/i-want-to-make-music-that-i-like-not-something-that-i-have-to-make/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/macklemore-3964_music_i-want-to-make-music-that-i-like-not-som_1983231.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/macklemore-3964_music_i-want-to-make-music-that-i-like-not-som_1983231.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e2d/macklemore-3964_music_i-want-to-make-music-that-i-like-not-som_1983231.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I want to make music that I like; not something that I have to make because I think it's going to sell.” — Macklemore", "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": "Macklemore", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I want to make music that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/i-want-to-make-music-that-i-like-not-something-that-i-have-to-make/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/i-want-to-make-music-that-i-like-not-something-that-i-have-to-make/#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 } } ] } ```