--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To me genres were always an imaginary…" description: "\"To me genres were always an imaginary things, they're just marketing channels.\" — Michael Gungor" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a6/michael-gungor-15350_genre_to-me-genres-were-always-an-imaginary-th_1172543.png" --- # To me genres were always an imaginary things, they're just… ![“To me genres were always an imaginary things, they're just marketing channels.” quote by Michael Gungor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a6/michael-gungor-15350_genre_to-me-genres-were-always-an-imaginary-th_1172543.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a6/michael-gungor-15350_genre_to-me-genres-were-always-an-imaginary-th_1172543.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a6/michael-gungor-15350_genre_to-me-genres-were-always-an-imaginary-th_1172543.png) > “To me genres were always an imaginary things, they're just marketing channels.” [Michael Gungor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gungor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He argues that genres are not intrinsic artistic categories but marketing constructs used to package and sell music. **In simple terms:** Genres are marketing tools, not artistic truths. Key Takeaway Recognize music beyond genre labels. Themes music marketing artistic categorization industry perception Mood analytical critical Type observational insightful When to use this quote - music discovery - playlist curation - artist branding - marketing strategy Key Concepts Genre theory consumer psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do genre labels affect your listening choices? - Can you appreciate a song without its genre tag? A Different Perspective Genres can limit creative freedom and listener openness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Genre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genre/) [Genres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genres/) [Imaginary things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imaginary-things/) [Marketing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marketing/) ## Related quotes > [Be strong then, and enter into your own body; there you have a solid place for your feet. Think about it carefully! Don't go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir/be-strong-then-and-enter-into-your-own-body-there-you-have-a-solid/) [Kabir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir/) > [“But he’d found that imaginary things were often the only items of real substance in people’s lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/but-he-d-found-that-imaginary-things-were-often-the-only-items-of/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [One of the most tragicomic things in life is that when a man makes an imaginary thing - such as a religion - as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/one-of-the-most-tragicomic-things-in-life-is-that-when-a-man-makes-an/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [These are facts, these are not imaginary things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyad-allawi/these-are-facts-these-are-not-imaginary-things/) [Iyad Allawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyad-allawi/) > [You were the living image of the entire Platonic shadow show, an illusion that could fill my emptiness with marvellous, imaginary things as long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-carter/you-were-the-living-image-of-the-entire-platonic-shadow-show-an/) [Angela Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-carter/) > [“Imaginary things were often the only items of real substance in people’s lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-sanderson/imaginary-things-were-often-the-only-items-of-real-substance-in/) [Brandon Sanderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-sanderson/) > [How can you see something that isn't there?" yawned the Humbug, who wasn't fully awake yet. "Sometimes, it's much simpler than seeing things that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norton-juster/how-can-you-see-something-that-isn-t-there-yawned-the-humbug-who-wasn/) [Norton Juster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norton-juster/) > [Just throw away all thoughts of imaginary things, and stand firm in that which you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kabir/just-throw-away-all-thoughts-of-imaginary-things-and-stand-firm-in/) [Kabir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kabir/) > [Eventually I would like to touch all the genres. I would like to do some detective stories, and I want to do a Western.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-aragones/eventually-i-would-like-to-touch-all-the-genres-i-would-like-to-do/) [Sergio Aragones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-aragones/) > [I have the death sentence in seven genres.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasper-fforde/i-have-the-death-sentence-in-seven-genres/) [Jasper Fforde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasper-fforde/) > [What genres are good for is being like, 'Here are the parameters. Here's something about the way it's going to make you feel. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-longstreth/what-genres-are-good-for-is-being-like-here-are-the-parameters-here-s/) [David Longstreth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-longstreth/) > [Playing with different genres and perspectives and ways of telling stories is one of the perks of being a novelist, but at the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linn-ullmann/playing-with-different-genres-and-perspectives-and-ways-of-telling/) Linn Ullmann > [Music is there for us to explore. To intentionally limit yourself to one, two, or three genres is limitation at its worst. Music is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-anselmo/music-is-there-for-us-to-explore-to-intentionally-limit-yourself-to/) [Phil Anselmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-anselmo/) > [I'm not a fan of any genre but am a fan of movies that are intelligent and/or funny. That goes across all genres: a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-a-fan-of-any-genre-but-am-a-fan-of-movies-that-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The great thing about the arts, and especially popular music, is that it really does cut across genres and races and classes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/the-great-thing-about-the-arts-and-especially-popular-music-is-that/) [Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/) ## More by Michael Gungor > [I used to flirt with fundamentalism, and I had this idea that creation was something that happened. Now I see creation as something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gungor/i-used-to-flirt-with-fundamentalism-and-i-had-this-idea-that-creation/) [Michael Gungor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gungor/) > [The more successful the work, the more people will step in to try to influence and manipulate the work for their own benefit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gungor/the-more-successful-the-work-the-more-people-will-step-in-to-try-to/) [Michael Gungor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gungor/) > [We are all creators. Whether or not we create is not up to us. We are human, and creating is what we do. Every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gungor/we-are-all-creators-whether-or-not-we-create-is-not-up-to-us-we-are/) [Michael Gungor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gungor/) > [I'm not one to call out an individual and say "I don't think that is honest." Who am I to know what is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gungor/i-m-not-one-to-call-out-an-individual-and-say-i-don-t-think-that-is/) [Michael Gungor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gungor/) > [“To truly see is to find hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gungor/to-truly-see-is-to-find-hope/) [Michael Gungor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gungor/) > [Any religious, philosophical or political idea that doesn't lead one towards love ought to be forsaken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gungor/any-religious-philosophical-or-political-idea-that-doesn-t-lead-one/) [Michael Gungor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gungor/) > [I think I'm just trying to be myself and write songs that are honest. That's what I hear in artist's that I like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gungor/i-think-i-m-just-trying-to-be-myself-and-write-songs-that-are-honest/) [Michael Gungor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gungor/) > [“Entitlement is not a friend of art. Work is. Pain is. Pain is that blessed and despised universal experience that creates more true art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gungor/entitlement-is-not-a-friend-of-art-work-is-pain-is-pain-is-that/) [Michael Gungor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gungor/) > [Burnout is what happens when you try to avoid being human for too long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gungor/burnout-is-what-happens-when-you-try-to-avoid-being-human-for-too-long/) [Michael Gungor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gungor/) > [Creativity is simply the human brain forming new connections between ideas, and we all are engaged in this process every day. The common idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gungor/creativity-is-simply-the-human-brain-forming-new-connections-between/) [Michael Gungor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gungor/) > [To me, God is the basic Reality of the universe. God is what is. That's how Moses wrote that God introduced Himself, isn't it?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gungor/to-me-god-is-the-basic-reality-of-the-universe-god-is-what-is-that-s/) [Michael Gungor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gungor/) > [Money is not the root of all kinds of evil. The love of money is. It’s also the root of a lot of bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gungor/money-is-not-the-root-of-all-kinds-of-evil-the-love-of-money-is-it-s/) [Michael Gungor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gungor/) > [I've found that limitations can be an artist's best friend sometimes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gungor/i-ve-found-that-limitations-can-be-an-artist-s-best-friend-sometimes/) [Michael Gungor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gungor/) > [The danger of art created to rise above the noise is that it may end up being noise itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gungor/the-danger-of-art-created-to-rise-above-the-noise-is-that-it-may-end/) [Michael Gungor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gungor/) > [If anyone should have a reason to not be afraid, to move beyond the expectations of culture, that is kind of the whole message…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gungor/if-anyone-should-have-a-reason-to-not-be-afraid-to-move-beyond-the/) [Michael Gungor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gungor/) [Explore all 43 Michael Gungor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gungor/) ## More Genre quotes > [I really like a lot of American country stuff, so my music has that influence, but I don't like to be set within a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jade-bird/i-really-like-a-lot-of-american-country-stuff-so-my-music-has-that/) [Jade Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jade-bird/) > [ He \[ the son\]'s grown up listening to all types of music, and the natural form of rebellion is to find the one genre… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solange-knowles/he-the-son-s-grown-up-listening-to-all-types-of-music-and-the-natural/) [Solange Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solange-knowles/) > [I don't really think in terms of genre, I think in terms of story and character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-rudd/i-don-t-really-think-in-terms-of-genre-i-think-in-terms-of-story-and/) [Paul Rudd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-rudd/) > [I've just always loved really good projects. The things that draw me into a new project have very little to do with genre and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jewel-staite/i-ve-just-always-loved-really-good-projects-the-things-that-draw-me/) [Jewel Staite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jewel-staite/) > [As a rule, I don't worry about genre. I just want to tell a good story, with characters that interest me and my readers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/as-a-rule-i-don-t-worry-about-genre-i-just-want-to-tell-a-good-story/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Trombone virtuoso and innovative composer, Papo combines the best of jazz and Latin music to create a genre that is unique and wild. He's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-brecker/trombone-virtuoso-and-innovative-composer-papo-combines-the-best-of/) Michael Brecker > [Gothic in its purest sense is actually a very powerful, twisted genre, but the way it was being used by by journalists - 'goff'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siouxsie-sioux/gothic-in-its-purest-sense-is-actually-a-very-powerful-twisted-genre/) [Siouxsie Sioux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siouxsie-sioux/) > [The great thing about the arts, and especially popular music, is that it really does cut across genres and races and classes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/the-great-thing-about-the-arts-and-especially-popular-music-is-that/) [Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/) > [“What we've done is make the categories of science fiction and fantasy larger, freer, and more inclusive than any other genre of contemporary literature.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/what-we-ve-done-is-make-the-categories-of-science-fiction-and-fantasy/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [I knew what kind of genre 'Casa de mi Padre' was going for. But my character, specifically, I think is very real.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genesis-rodriguez/i-knew-what-kind-of-genre-casa-de-mi-padre-was-going-for-but-my/) [Genesis Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genesis-rodriguez/) > [In television, women can really run anything. It can be a comedy, it can be a drama, it can be genre, it can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-michelle-gellar/in-television-women-can-really-run-anything-it-can-be-a-comedy-it-can/) [Sarah Michelle Gellar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-michelle-gellar/) > [I'm not a fan of any genre but am a fan of movies that are intelligent and/or funny. That goes across all genres: a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-a-fan-of-any-genre-but-am-a-fan-of-movies-that-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The excellence of this important contribution to genre literature CANNOT be overstated A masterwork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-f-nolan/the-excellence-of-this-important-contribution-to-genre-literature/) William F. Nolan > [I have finally become my own genre, and now that's what publishers want. I have a wonderful publisher now, Mulholland, very innovated, very fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-r-lansdale/i-have-finally-become-my-own-genre-and-now-that-s-what-publishers/) [Joe R. Lansdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-r-lansdale/) > [There is a real problem with the lack of diversity, specifically in genre films and the superheroes our kids grow up watching and emulating,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djimon-hounsou/there-is-a-real-problem-with-the-lack-of-diversity-specifically-in/) [Djimon Hounsou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/djimon-hounsou/) [Browse all 2,187 Genre quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genre/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "To me genres were always an imaginary things, they're just marketing channels.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Gungor" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gungor/to-me-genres-were-always-an-imaginary-things-they-re-just-marketing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Genre" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gungor/to-me-genres-were-always-an-imaginary-things-they-re-just-marketing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a6/michael-gungor-15350_genre_to-me-genres-were-always-an-imaginary-th_1172543.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a6/michael-gungor-15350_genre_to-me-genres-were-always-an-imaginary-th_1172543.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5a6/michael-gungor-15350_genre_to-me-genres-were-always-an-imaginary-th_1172543.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“To me genres were always an imaginary things, they're just marketing channels.” — Michael Gungor", "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": "Michael Gungor", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gungor/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "To me genres were always an...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gungor/to-me-genres-were-always-an-imaginary-things-they-re-just-marketing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gungor/to-me-genres-were-always-an-imaginary-things-they-re-just-marketing/#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 } } ] } ```