--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I did the record, I was coming off a…" description: "\"When I did the record, I was coming off a time when my contract had been sold and the music industry had changed a lot. I didn't understand how to make..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2f/matthew-sweet-20573_bigs_when-i-did-the-record-i-was-coming-off-a_2648492.png" --- # When I did the record, I was coming off a time when my… ![“When I did the record, I was coming off a time when my contract had been sold and the music industry had changed a lot. I didn't understand how to make records for big labels. I was waiting for a new kind of record label to emerge.” quote by Matthew Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2f/matthew-sweet-20573_bigs_when-i-did-the-record-i-was-coming-off-a_2648492.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2f/matthew-sweet-20573_bigs_when-i-did-the-record-i-was-coming-off-a_2648492.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b2f/matthew-sweet-20573_bigs_when-i-did-the-record-i-was-coming-off-a_2648492.png) > “When I did the record, I was coming off a time when my contract had been sold and the music industry had changed a lot. I didn't understand how to make records for big labels. I was waiting for a new kind of record label to emerge.” [Matthew Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-sweet/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. After a contract sale and industry changes, the artist awaited a new type of record label. **In simple terms:** Waiting for a new label after industry shift. Key Takeaway Adapt to industry change. Themes music industry career change label innovation Mood reflective optimistic Type music career When to use this quote - record deals - independent releases - digital platforms Key Concepts business strategy artist development Questions to Reflect On - What defines a “new kind of label”? - How can artists stay relevant? A Different Perspective Industry volatility can stall careers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big Labels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-labels-1134548/) [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Changed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/changed/) [Contracts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contracts/) [Industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/industry/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Labels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/labels/) [Make Records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-records/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music industry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-industry/) [Record label](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/record-label/) [Record labels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/record-labels/) [Records](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/records/) [Records Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/records-big-255162/) [Sold Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sold-music-2330810/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) ## Related quotes > [I don't make as many records as other people do because I prefer the live side of it - and my records are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaggy/i-don-t-make-as-many-records-as-other-people-do-because-i-prefer-the/) [Shaggy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaggy/) > [Soon as I could play one guitar chord and laid my ear upon that wood, I was gone. My soul was sold. Music was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-prine/soon-as-i-could-play-one-guitar-chord-and-laid-my-ear-upon-that-wood/) [John Prine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-prine/) > [Most people are satisfied with the junk food being sold as music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/most-people-are-satisfied-with-the-junk-food-being-sold-as-music/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [This is a very screwed-up business. Record labels don't sign a lot of bands these days. We just want to find a home and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-taylor/this-is-a-very-screwed-up-business-record-labels-don-t-sign-a-lot-of/) [Andy Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-taylor/) > [Commercial success still hasn't come to an artist that isn't signed to a record label. There are very few artists that can succeed without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-bronfman-jr/commercial-success-still-hasn-t-come-to-an-artist-that-isn-t-signed/) [Edgar Bronfman, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-bronfman-jr/) > [And the next album I do is going to be different because I'm going to change. I already did that thing where I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bell-bundy/and-the-next-album-i-do-is-going-to-be-different-because-i-m-going-to/) [Laura Bell Bundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bell-bundy/) > [Island Records was the first record label to... acknowledge me. After that, quickly, Republic Records, and then Atlantic Records, Sony Records and Warner Bros.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-mendes/island-records-was-the-first-record-label-to-acknowledge-me-after/) [Shawn Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-mendes/) > [Remember the Stax label and how if you liked one record, you liked all the others as well? 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I'm not sure why you would sign up with a record label.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-parker/you-can-now-be-a-master-of-your-own-destiny-i-m-not-sure-why-you/) [Sean Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-parker/) > [I entered a songwriting competition, I didn't win, and one of the judges on the panel was an A&R man at a record label…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lana-del-rey/i-entered-a-songwriting-competition-i-didn-t-win-and-one-of-the/) [Lana Del Rey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lana-del-rey/) > [When I first started out in the music industry and went to Elektra Records, I didn't go to be an artist, I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-first-started-out-in-the-music-industry-and-went-to-elektra/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Matthew Sweet > [In a world that's ugly and a lie, it's hard to even want to try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-sweet/in-a-world-that-s-ugly-and-a-lie-it-s-hard-to-even-want-to-try/) [Matthew Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-sweet/) > [They said, 'If we put you in first class with Brian, will you do it?' So I flew after not having flown in eight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-sweet/they-said-if-we-put-you-in-first-class-with-brian-will-you-do-it-so-i/) [Matthew Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-sweet/) > [He wanted to play accordion on something of mine and I said you can play accordion, but I want you to play piano and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-sweet/he-wanted-to-play-accordion-on-something-of-mine-and-i-said-you-can/) [Matthew Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-sweet/) > [Wavering and burning like a golden lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-sweet/wavering-and-burning-like-a-golden-lie/) [Matthew Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-sweet/) > [First off, I don't want anyone to think I'm this huge thing in Japan. Every group from here that's made any records over any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-sweet/first-off-i-don-t-want-anyone-to-think-i-m-this-huge-thing-in-japan/) [Matthew Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-sweet/) > [When I go to Japan and do shows I play for 1,000 to 1,500 people. I like a lot about Japan. Their popular culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-sweet/when-i-go-to-japan-and-do-shows-i-play-for-1-000-to-1-500-people-i/) [Matthew Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-sweet/) > [He helped make Living Things even more crazy than I wanted it to be. He added old-fashioned piano and classical folk music - that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-sweet/he-helped-make-living-things-even-more-crazy-than-i-wanted-it-to-be/) [Matthew Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-sweet/) > [There are things that I value now that I didn't when I first went over there, like Zen Buddhism, which has become part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-sweet/there-are-things-that-i-value-now-that-i-didn-t-when-i-first-went/) [Matthew Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-sweet/) > [More labels should be like that. Instead of putting these records out myself, I should have just signed with them, but they probably don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-sweet/more-labels-should-be-like-that-instead-of-putting-these-records-out/) [Matthew Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-sweet/) > [Girlfriend and 100 Percent Fun were my two peeks, around '92 and '96. The reality is that the times I had the most media…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-sweet/girlfriend-and-100-percent-fun-were-my-two-peeks-around-92-and-96-the/) [Matthew Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-sweet/) > [I have more perspective now, and am happier now. It's not that I don't want success, but I now know I can have success…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-sweet/i-have-more-perspective-now-and-am-happier-now-it-s-not-that-i-don-t/) [Matthew Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-sweet/) > [You know that they're not just into it for the moment, they really care about it and value it over time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-sweet/you-know-that-they-re-not-just-into-it-for-the-moment-they-really/) [Matthew Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-sweet/) > [The summer of 2002 at the Wilson birthday party I met Van Dyke again and I made plans to have dinner with him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-sweet/the-summer-of-2002-at-the-wilson-birthday-party-i-met-van-dyke-again/) [Matthew Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-sweet/) > [So it helped me to just let go of all my tensions and feelings about that world and say 'OK, this is for my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-sweet/so-it-helped-me-to-just-let-go-of-all-my-tensions-and-feelings-about/) [Matthew Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-sweet/) > [I wanted Kimi to be a Japanese record with a Japanese title. 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A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) [Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I did the record, I was coming off a time when my contract had been sold and the music industry had changed a lot. 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