--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Critics don't sell records…" description: "\"Critics don't sell records, unfortunately. No one reads what they write anyway.\" — Ry Cooder" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d8/ry-cooder-3690_anyway_critics-don-t-sell-records-unfortunately_893995.jpg" --- # Critics don't sell records, unfortunately. No one reads… ![“Critics don't sell records, unfortunately. No one reads what they write anyway.” quote by Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d8/ry-cooder-3690_anyway_critics-don-t-sell-records-unfortunately_893995.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d8/ry-cooder-3690_anyway_critics-don-t-sell-records-unfortunately_893995.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1d8/ry-cooder-3690_anyway_critics-don-t-sell-records-unfortunately_893995.jpg) > “Critics don't sell records, unfortunately. No one reads what they write anyway.” [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Critics rarely drive sales; most listeners ignore written reviews and buy based on taste. **In simple terms:** Critics have little impact on record sales. Key Takeaway Focus on connecting directly with listeners. Themes music industry marketing media consumer behavior Mood reflective skeptical Type analytical thought‑provoking When to use this quote - album releases - social media promotion - concerts Key Concepts critical theory economics digital distribution Questions to Reflect On - Should artists care about critical opinion? - Can reviews influence long‑term legacy? A Different Perspective Critics can shape artistic reputation even if not sales. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [GaGa says a lot of stuff in her records. But I know these parents and critics are not really listening to her lyrics. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akon/gaga-says-a-lot-of-stuff-in-her-records-but-i-know-these-parents-and/) [Akon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akon/) > [As a band, we always took a really long time to make records, so unfortunately, we got into that habit of, like, 'We'll work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ad-rock/as-a-band-we-always-took-a-really-long-time-to-make-records-so/) [Ad-Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ad-rock/) > [He needs to have a strong heart, because critics don't have a heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergio-martinez/he-needs-to-have-a-strong-heart-because-critics-don-t-have-a-heart/) [Sergio Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergio-martinez/) > [I think I won't do for your business at all, but personally I have no fight with you. You can go on and save…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-think-i-won-t-do-for-your-business-at-all-but-personally-i-have-no/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Critics don't want to see directors they like make too much of a left turn. That's good for criticism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/critics-don-t-want-to-see-directors-they-like-make-too-much-of-a-left/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [I don't have to talk about critics - I don't care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-ellis/i-don-t-have-to-talk-about-critics-i-don-t-care/) [Jill Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-ellis/) > [Most of my critics don't even listen to me; they are clueless. They just go to Web sites that report what I say out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/most-of-my-critics-don-t-even-listen-to-me-they-are-clueless-they/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Critics don't bother me because if I do badly, I know I'm bad before they even write it. And if I'm good, I know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-sinatra/critics-don-t-bother-me-because-if-i-do-badly-i-know-i-m-bad-before/) [Frank Sinatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-sinatra/) > [The critics don't build great cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-pena/the-critics-don-t-build-great-cities/) [Federico Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-pena/) > [I write from my soul. This is the reason that critics don't hurt me, because it is me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/i-write-from-my-soul-this-is-the-reason-that-critics-don-t-hurt-me/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [If you want to please the critics, don't play too loud, too soft, too fast, too slow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arturo-toscanini/if-you-want-to-please-the-critics-don-t-play-too-loud-too-soft-too/) [Arturo Toscanini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arturo-toscanini/) > [The only difference between me and my critics is that I don't lie to the world about who I am. People are complicated and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-cernovich/the-only-difference-between-me-and-my-critics-is-that-i-don-t-lie-to/) [Mike Cernovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-cernovich/) > [Critics don't buy records. They get 'em free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nat-king-cole/critics-don-t-buy-records-they-get-em-free/) [Nat King Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nat-king-cole/) > [If you can't tolerate critics, don't do anything new or interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/if-you-can-t-tolerate-critics-don-t-do-anything-new-or-interesting/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) > [Don't pay any attention to the critics - don't even ignore them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/don-t-pay-any-attention-to-the-critics-don-t-even-ignore-them/) [Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/) ## More by Ry Cooder > [I got a reputation for being 'eclectic' or some damn thing like that, but to me, the different kinds of music I play are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/i-got-a-reputation-for-being-eclectic-or-some-damn-thing-like-that/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [The '50s was the golden age of music all over the world for some crazy, 'X-File'-like reason I can't quite understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/the-50s-was-the-golden-age-of-music-all-over-the-world-for-some-crazy/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [I had a lot of luck in meeting great musicians who were kind enough to show me things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/i-had-a-lot-of-luck-in-meeting-great-musicians-who-were-kind-enough/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [You can play as good as you want, but you have to sing from a place of living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/you-can-play-as-good-as-you-want-but-you-have-to-sing-from-a-place-of/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [I give up on pop music. As far as a commercial entity, as far as pop music goes, I quit; I absolutely throw in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/i-give-up-on-pop-music-as-far-as-a-commercial-entity-as-far-as-pop/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [Musicians are not so concerned with language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/musicians-are-not-so-concerned-with-language/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [The story of American pop music is the story of failure. The blues, country music, it's not the story of success. People don't win;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/the-story-of-american-pop-music-is-the-story-of-failure-the-blues/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [If you're white working with non-white people, you will be branded as a colonialist by some people, regardless of your efforts or intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/if-you-re-white-working-with-non-white-people-you-will-be-branded-as/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [On any given day, if I play the guitar, I can put myself somewhere. I always thought, 'This is the way you go.' It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/on-any-given-day-if-i-play-the-guitar-i-can-put-myself-somewhere-i/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [Music is a treasure hunt. You dig and dig, and sometimes you find something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/music-is-a-treasure-hunt-you-dig-and-dig-and-sometimes-you-find/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [I always have felt that most people don't have the first idea about what musicians, in the traditional sense - I don't mean in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/i-always-have-felt-that-most-people-don-t-have-the-first-idea-about/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [Music is all starting to sound alike in the modern era. Afro-pop sounds exactly like L.A. pop - there's no difference, no ambience, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/music-is-all-starting-to-sound-alike-in-the-modern-era-afro-pop/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [I'm sort of an osmotic fellow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/i-m-sort-of-an-osmotic-fellow/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [The Delmore Brothers is hit music - very, very popular - and it still retains that rural flavor and simplicity. I always think of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/the-delmore-brothers-is-hit-music-very-very-popular-and-it-still/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) > [Needless to say, you've got to have someone who can speak for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ry-cooder/needless-to-say-you-ve-got-to-have-someone-who-can-speak-for-you/) [Ry Cooder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) [Explore all 124 Ry Cooder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ry-cooder/) ## More Anyway quotes > [You couldn't get me to go travel around and sit in a hotel room again. I have no interest in doing that. So everybody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-everly/you-couldn-t-get-me-to-go-travel-around-and-sit-in-a-hotel-room-again/) [Phil Everly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-everly/) > [“Joe!” he groaned, attempting to speak clearly. “Joe! Good ol’ Joe!” “Captain, you’re drunk!” Lofflin said, stating the obvious while trying to keep his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/joe-he-groaned-attempting-to-speak-clearly-joe-good-ol-joe-captain/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [I was a serious competitive figure skater and still ice-skate as much as I can. Anyway, I once brought a date to the rink…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-serratos/i-was-a-serious-competitive-figure-skater-and-still-ice-skate-as-much/) [Christian Serratos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-serratos/) > [When we built Roomba, we explicitly designed it to not have a face. We didn't want to think it was cute; we wanted people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-angle/when-we-built-roomba-we-explicitly-designed-it-to-not-have-a-face-we/) [Colin Angle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-angle/) > [I remember talking with Arcade Fire after their first record, when they were getting all kinds of offers from major labels, and I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-byrne/i-remember-talking-with-arcade-fire-after-their-first-record-when/) [David Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-byrne/) > [A supermodel is kind of that first-name recognition, but I'm not quite ready for that super part yet, and I'm afraid that by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-teigen/a-supermodel-is-kind-of-that-first-name-recognition-but-i-m-not-quite/) [Christine Teigen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-teigen/) > [My feeling is, I do a lot of low-budget films. I don't do low-budget acting. I have no interest in just goofballing my way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-henriksen/my-feeling-is-i-do-a-lot-of-low-budget-films-i-don-t-do-low-budget/) [Lance Henriksen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-henriksen/) > [When you sign a contract, that's your deal. Everyone has different deals anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-duggan/when-you-sign-a-contract-that-s-your-deal-everyone-has-different/) [Toni Duggan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-duggan/) > [I think you can move to everything, but with some music, you just want to sit still. That's me, anyway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chet-faker/i-think-you-can-move-to-everything-but-with-some-music-you-just-want/) [Chet Faker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chet-faker/) > [We'd been noticing how much more important the internet had become - once information is out there in the world now, anyone can get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-tweedy/we-d-been-noticing-how-much-more-important-the-internet-had-become/) [Jeff Tweedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-tweedy/) > [If you are playing King Lear you are the centre of attention anyway. You don't need to draw attention to yourself. It's all laid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mckellen/if-you-are-playing-king-lear-you-are-the-centre-of-attention-anyway/) [Ian Mckellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mckellen/) > [You're required to be outspoken in journalism, and in television you're exposed anyway, because everyone watches it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peaches-geldof/you-re-required-to-be-outspoken-in-journalism-and-in-television-you/) [Peaches Geldof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peaches-geldof/) > [Anyway, once children get to talk, they seem to be finding ways to joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rosen/anyway-once-children-get-to-talk-they-seem-to-be-finding-ways-to-joke/) [Michael Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rosen/) > [Only in Washington would the Republican operatives get the entire press corps ginned up over the notion that I'm going to be home campaigning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-mccaskill/only-in-washington-would-the-republican-operatives-get-the-entire/) [Claire McCaskill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-mccaskill/) > [If you're a coach, you've got to have a lot of confidence in what you're doing. Your egos are so large that you know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bud-grant/if-you-re-a-coach-you-ve-got-to-have-a-lot-of-confidence-in-what-you/) [Bud Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bud-grant/) Browse all 370 Anyway quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Critics don't sell records, unfortunately. 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