--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I would rather put out two year-defining…" description: "\"I would rather put out two year-defining songs a year than flood the market with eight or nine songs.\" — Ryan Tedder" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/ryan-tedder-14281_defining_i-would-rather-put-out-two-year-defining_2284517.jpg" --- # I would rather put out two year-defining songs a year than… ![“I would rather put out two year-defining songs a year than flood the market with eight or nine songs.” quote by Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/ryan-tedder-14281_defining_i-would-rather-put-out-two-year-defining_2284517.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/ryan-tedder-14281_defining_i-would-rather-put-out-two-year-defining_2284517.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/ryan-tedder-14281_defining_i-would-rather-put-out-two-year-defining_2284517.jpg) > “I would rather put out two year-defining songs a year than flood the market with eight or nine songs.” [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prioritizing quality over quantity yields more lasting impact than releasing many mediocre works. **In simple terms:** Focus on creating a few exceptional songs each year. Key Takeaway Create fewer, better songs. Themes quality creativity impact Mood determined optimistic Type advice strategic When to use this quote - album planning - songwriting sessions - marketing strategy - fan engagement Key Concepts artistic integrity musical legacy strategic release Questions to Reflect On - How can you balance artistic standards with market demands? - What defines a “year‑defining” song for you? A Different Perspective Too few releases may reduce visibility in fast‑moving markets. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Flood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flood/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/songs/) ## Related quotes > [“The ripple of today’s lie is tomorrow’s wave and next year’s flood.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/the-ripple-of-today-s-lie-is-tomorrow-s-wave-and-next-year-s-flood/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [If you look at the charts every year, there may be five or ten memorable songs from each year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-jackson/if-you-look-at-the-charts-every-year-there-may-be-five-or-ten/) [Randy Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-jackson/) > [...2009 saw the eighth 'ten-year flood' of Fargo, North Dakota, since 1989. In Iowa, Cedar Rapids was hit last year by a flood that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/2009-saw-the-eighth-ten-year-flood-of-fargo-north-dakota-since-1989/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Every year on my birthday, I start a new playlist titled after my current age so I can keep track of my favorite songs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-hardwick/every-year-on-my-birthday-i-start-a-new-playlist-titled-after-my/) [Chris Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-hardwick/) > [It used to be OK to have two or three songs out a year - and those are your singles. Now, they don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-sean/it-used-to-be-ok-to-have-two-or-three-songs-out-a-year-and-those-are/) [Jay Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-sean/) > [I try to write five or six songs each year and not just in one genre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-felder/i-try-to-write-five-or-six-songs-each-year-and-not-just-in-one-genre/) [Don Felder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-felder/) > [To me, Def Jam put my career on hold. I was used to making 13-14 songs a year, and they trickled that down to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mannie-fresh/to-me-def-jam-put-my-career-on-hold-i-was-used-to-making-13-14-songs/) [Mannie Fresh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mannie-fresh/) > [We know that the year 2011 is the 7000th year from the flood. We also know that God will destroy this world in that year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-know-that-the-year-2011-is-the-7000th-year-from-the-flood-we-also/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There's no such thing as a 100-year flood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-cuomo/there-s-no-such-thing-as-a-100-year-flood/) [Andrew Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-cuomo/) > [I believe the chance of any event causing Berkshire to experience financial problems is essentially zero. We will always be prepared for the thousand-year…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-buffett/i-believe-the-chance-of-any-event-causing-berkshire-to-experience/) [Warren Buffett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-buffett/) > [As artists, we're always going to like the songs we just now made over the songs we made a year ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quavo/as-artists-we-re-always-going-to-like-the-songs-we-just-now-made-over/) [Quavo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quavo/) > [After 'Return Of The Bumpasaurus' in '96, I just got away from music for, like, a year. Literally, I think I produced two songs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-mix-a-lot/after-return-of-the-bumpasaurus-in-96-i-just-got-away-from-music-for/) [Sir Mix-a-Lot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-mix-a-lot/) > [The year 2011 AD will be the 7000th year from the flood of Noahs day. It will be the end of the length of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-year-2011-ad-will-be-the-7000th-year-from-the-flood-of-noahs-day/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I've been writing songs all along, and since moving to Nashville in the late-'80s, I'd begun writing something like 15-20 songs a year, instead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-leadon/i-ve-been-writing-songs-all-along-and-since-moving-to-nashville-in/) Bernie Leadon > [“I write these words in May of 2011, the week after a huge outbreak of tornadoes killed hundreds across the American South; it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mckibben/i-write-these-words-in-may-of-2011-the-week-after-a-huge-outbreak-of/) [Bill McKibben](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mckibben/) ## More by Ryan Tedder > [The cool thing about writing music, writing anything, is that once you publish it, it's there forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/the-cool-thing-about-writing-music-writing-anything-is-that-once-you/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [When life gives you the opportunity to check off a thing on the bucket list, you have to check them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/when-life-gives-you-the-opportunity-to-check-off-a-thing-on-the/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [I started selling corn dogs, ended up in the music industry. That's how it all started.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/i-started-selling-corn-dogs-ended-up-in-the-music-industry-that-s-how/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [Crowds respond to anthemic choruses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/crowds-respond-to-anthemic-choruses/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [Im not interested in fad songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/im-not-interested-in-fad-songs/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [Any time you have a song that is directly connected to a very specific musical trend of the moment, you have immediately cut it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/any-time-you-have-a-song-that-is-directly-connected-to-a-very/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [I think the best songs are being written by the very under-stated, under-appreciated indie artists. The thing that separates them from mainstream success is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/i-think-the-best-songs-are-being-written-by-the-very-under-stated/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [I'm a huge Lady GaGa fan - she makes the world a more incredible place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/i-m-a-huge-lady-gaga-fan-she-makes-the-world-a-more-incredible-place/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [Writing songs is about trying to connect with people on a deeper spiritual level - but I'm not a fan of contemporary Christian music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/writing-songs-is-about-trying-to-connect-with-people-on-a-deeper/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [I knew I could make money from songwriting, so how much and when was not really the question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/i-knew-i-could-make-money-from-songwriting-so-how-much-and-when-was/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [Nobody works harder than Lady Gaga. Nobody. She is unbelievable. I don't know how she sleeps, or when or if.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/nobody-works-harder-than-lady-gaga-nobody-she-is-unbelievable-i-don-t/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [I find the songs that have the most human components in production are the ones that will stand the test of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/i-find-the-songs-that-have-the-most-human-components-in-production/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [I think often times if a guitar riff is centered around the chorus or if it follows the chorus, then it often times turns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/i-think-often-times-if-a-guitar-riff-is-centered-around-the-chorus-or/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [I have to sing it every night, I can't get up on stage if it's some bullshit story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/i-have-to-sing-it-every-night-i-can-t-get-up-on-stage-if-it-s-some/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) > [The difficulty in working with someone on a show like Idol or X Factor is they have an idea of what they think is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/the-difficulty-in-working-with-someone-on-a-show-like-idol-or-x/) [Ryan Tedder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) [Explore all 47 Ryan Tedder quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/) ## More Defining quotes > [One defining symptom of decadence is a fondness for vast and nonsensical extravagance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-silverberg/one-defining-symptom-of-decadence-is-a-fondness-for-vast-and/) [Robert Silverberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-silverberg/) > [Good history is a question of survival. Without any past, we will deprive ourselves of the defining impression of our being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-burns/good-history-is-a-question-of-survival-without-any-past-we-will/) [Ken Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-burns/) > [ I never left my roots. You can identify me as someone that didn't become high and mighty. Humility is a defining \[trait\] all of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serena-williams/i-never-left-my-roots-you-can-identify-me-as-someone-that-didn-t/) [Serena Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serena-williams/) > [I think the word 'soul' - it depends on what you define by 'soul.' If you're defining it as a mystical aura that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-nicolelis/i-think-the-word-soul-it-depends-on-what-you-define-by-soul-if-you-re/) [Miguel Nicolelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-nicolelis/) > [“There are no defining moments. There are only your moments to define.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-dowd/there-are-no-defining-moments-there-are-only-your-moments-to-define/) Thomas B Dowd > [My journey has been a long one and has still got a long way to go. I think we are so used to defining…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-corrin/my-journey-has-been-a-long-one-and-has-still-got-a-long-way-to-go-i/) [Emma Corrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-corrin/) > [“Defining the Renaissance Man “A man can do all that he will.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-griffiths-and-eric-elfman/defining-the-renaissance-man-a-man-can-do-all-that-he-will/) Scott Griffiths and Eric Elfman > [The defining aspects of westerns are still pretty much in place - namely landscape and conflict. In other books the conflict can be internal,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-crook/the-defining-aspects-of-westerns-are-still-pretty-much-in-place/) [Elizabeth Crook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-crook/) > [Our concepts structure what we perceive, how we get around in the world and how we relate to other people. Our conceptual system thus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-lakoff/our-concepts-structure-what-we-perceive-how-we-get-around-in-the/) [George Lakoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-lakoff/) > [It's imprecise and insufficient, defining the homosexual as a person whose gender expression is at odds with his or her sex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-bechdel/it-s-imprecise-and-insufficient-defining-the-homosexual-as-a-person/) [Alison Bechdel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-bechdel/) > [Modern societies accepted the treasures and the power offered them by science. But they have not accepted - they have scarcely even heard -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-monod/modern-societies-accepted-the-treasures-and-the-power-offered-them-by/) [Jacques Monod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-monod/) > [I met people on college campuses who were defining themselves as genderqueer to express revolutionary feelings, or to communicate their individuality; they were gender…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-solomon/i-met-people-on-college-campuses-who-were-defining-themselves-as/) [Andrew Solomon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-solomon/) > [Using less of the Earth’s resources more efficiently and productively in a circular economy and making the transition from carbon-based fuels to renewable energies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-rifkin/using-less-of-the-earth-s-resources-more-efficiently-and-productively/) [Jeremy Rifkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-rifkin/) > [Autonomy means women defining themselves and the values by which they will live, and beginning to think of institutional arrangements which will order their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerda-lerner/autonomy-means-women-defining-themselves-and-the-values-by-which-they/) [Gerda Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerda-lerner/) > [I think TARP was the most defining vote since I've been in Congress. It was wrong. You don't nationalize private - it was wrong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louie-gohmert/i-think-tarp-was-the-most-defining-vote-since-i-ve-been-in-congress/) [Louie Gohmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louie-gohmert/) Browse all 544 Defining quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I would rather put out two year-defining songs a year than flood the market with eight or nine songs.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ryan Tedder" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/i-would-rather-put-out-two-year-defining-songs-a-year-than-flood-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Defining" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/i-would-rather-put-out-two-year-defining-songs-a-year-than-flood-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/ryan-tedder-14281_defining_i-would-rather-put-out-two-year-defining_2284517.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/ryan-tedder-14281_defining_i-would-rather-put-out-two-year-defining_2284517.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d91/ryan-tedder-14281_defining_i-would-rather-put-out-two-year-defining_2284517.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I would rather put out two year-defining songs a year than flood the market with eight or nine songs.” — Ryan Tedder", "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": "Ryan Tedder", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-tedder/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I would rather put out two...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/i-would-rather-put-out-two-year-defining-songs-a-year-than-flood-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-tedder/i-would-rather-put-out-two-year-defining-songs-a-year-than-flood-the/#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 } } ] } ```