--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was young, people were almost…" description: "\"When I was young, people were almost identified solely by the kind of music they liked. People fell into categories of who liked what.\" — Sade Adu" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08a/sade-adu-15455_categories_when-i-was-young-people-were-almost-iden_3204240.jpg" --- # When I was young, people were almost identified solely by… ![“When I was young, people were almost identified solely by the kind of music they liked. People fell into categories of who liked what.” quote by Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08a/sade-adu-15455_categories_when-i-was-young-people-were-almost-iden_3204240.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08a/sade-adu-15455_categories_when-i-was-young-people-were-almost-iden_3204240.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/08a/sade-adu-15455_categories_when-i-was-young-people-were-almost-iden_3204240.jpg) > “When I was young, people were almost identified solely by the kind of music they liked. People fell into categories of who liked what.” [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Music preference once defined personal identity, creating social groups based on taste. **In simple terms:** Music defined identity and social groups. Key Takeaway Recognize individuality beyond tastes. Themes identity culture social labeling music nostalgia Mood reflective nostalgic Type observational commentary When to use this quote - high school cliques - online music forums - festival crowds - friendship circles Key Concepts Sociology cultural studies identity formation Questions to Reflect On - How do you define yourself beyond music? - What other traits shape group belonging? A Different Perspective Oversimplifies complex identities to a single trait. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Categories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/categories/) [Categories Liked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/categories-liked-5960834/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Kind Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind-music/) [Liked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liked/) [Liked People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liked-people/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music Liked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-liked-649951/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-people/) ## Related quotes > [My music was liked by the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demis-roussos/my-music-was-liked-by-the-people/) [Demis Roussos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demis-roussos/) > [If there was one leader liked by people of all sections, it was Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar and after him MGR could get everyone on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karunas/if-there-was-one-leader-liked-by-people-of-all-sections-it-was/) [Karunas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karunas/) > [I really wanted to do 'Modern Family,' and I really liked the script, and I liked the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-t-nelson/i-really-wanted-to-do-modern-family-and-i-really-liked-the-script-and/) [Craig T. Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-t-nelson/) > [I liked the people at Brown, while I really disliked most of the fellow students I had met at Northwestern.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-glass/i-liked-the-people-at-brown-while-i-really-disliked-most-of-the/) [Ira Glass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-glass/) > [“Micky was a hard taskmaster. He could be very unkind. He was out to judge people, I think pretty quickly, and once he’d made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-challis/micky-was-a-hard-taskmaster-he-could-be-very-unkind-he-was-out-to/) [Christopher Challis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-challis/) > [“I've always liked people with two names, because you get to make up your mind what you call them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-ve-always-liked-people-with-two-names-because-you-get-to-make-up/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I never tried to write for other people. I liked people who had problems I might have, because we all have insecurities, regrets. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-lee/i-never-tried-to-write-for-other-people-i-liked-people-who-had/) [Stan Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-lee/) > [I always say I make the movies where people go, 'Hey, I never saw it, but when I finally did, I really liked it.'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-hamm/i-always-say-i-make-the-movies-where-people-go-hey-i-never-saw-it-but/) [Jon Hamm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-hamm/) > [Every single time, I just want to make good music that people can listen to 100 times... I want people to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-g/every-single-time-i-just-want-to-make-good-music-that-people-can/) [Alex G](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-g/) > [Anyone of any age or background who loved pop music liked our songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-roberts/anyone-of-any-age-or-background-who-loved-pop-music-liked-our-songs/) [Nicola Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-roberts/) > [Ever since I was a kid, I always wanted to play music that I liked, and even when I was in cover bands when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-peart/ever-since-i-was-a-kid-i-always-wanted-to-play-music-that-i-liked-and/) [Neil Peart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-peart/) > [I didn't like any British music before The Beatles. For me, it was all about black American music. But then I became a successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lulu/i-didn-t-like-any-british-music-before-the-beatles-for-me-it-was-all/) [Lulu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lulu/) > [I listened to a lot of reggae music, a lot of Caribbean, a lot of gospel, a lot of rock, a lot of country,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ro-james/i-listened-to-a-lot-of-reggae-music-a-lot-of-caribbean-a-lot-of/) [Ro James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ro-james/) > [I went to a Catholic all-girls school, and we would play cassettes of music we liked, and when it was my turn, they would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imelda-may/i-went-to-a-catholic-all-girls-school-and-we-would-play-cassettes-of/) [Imelda May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imelda-may/) > [My first albums as a little kid were Elton John's 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,' Simon and Garfunkel's 'Greatest Hits' - and 'Workingman's Dead.' How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/my-first-albums-as-a-little-kid-were-elton-john-s-goodbye-yellow/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) ## More by Sade Adu > [All the cliches of glamorous sophistication have little appeal to me. Do I want to live the British version of 'Dynasty?' No thanks!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/all-the-cliches-of-glamorous-sophistication-have-little-appeal-to-me/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [My musical career was an accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/my-musical-career-was-an-accident/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [To be a mother you must be strong. Even if you don't feel it, you have to pretend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/to-be-a-mother-you-must-be-strong-even-if-you-don-t-feel-it-you-have/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [People are so used to having their lives filmed, they're not even conscious of having cameras around. I still have that sort of suspicion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/people-are-so-used-to-having-their-lives-filmed-they-re-not-even/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [I always see myself as much more of a musician than a celebrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/i-always-see-myself-as-much-more-of-a-musician-than-a-celebrity/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [I'm uneasy with fame so I do my best to avoid places that will bring me more attention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/i-m-uneasy-with-fame-so-i-do-my-best-to-avoid-places-that-will-bring/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [When I go into the studio, I completely detach. I let my emotions come out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/when-i-go-into-the-studio-i-completely-detach-i-let-my-emotions-come/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [People generally let me be me. People are aware that I'm not someone particularly begging for attention. They hold back a bit with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/people-generally-let-me-be-me-people-are-aware-that-i-m-not-someone/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [I've got absolutely no real perception, properly, of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/i-ve-got-absolutely-no-real-perception-properly-of-time/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [I can't see myself just endlessly singing the same songs over and over again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/i-can-t-see-myself-just-endlessly-singing-the-same-songs-over-and/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [There isn't a class structure in Nigeria; there's a tribal structure and prestige as far as money is concerned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/there-isn-t-a-class-structure-in-nigeria-there-s-a-tribal-structure/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [Move in space with minimum waste and maximum joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/move-in-space-with-minimum-waste-and-maximum-joy/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [I think you only really feel like an outsider if you've been an insider.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/i-think-you-only-really-feel-like-an-outsider-if-you-ve-been-an/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [The anxiety I feel when I'm late is nothing like the anxiety I feel when I'm on time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/the-anxiety-i-feel-when-i-m-late-is-nothing-like-the-anxiety-i-feel/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) > [I'm not anti-fashion, but I've always had a bit of a punk attitude. That's important, I think. I do my own thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sade-adu/i-m-not-anti-fashion-but-i-ve-always-had-a-bit-of-a-punk-attitude/) [Sade Adu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) [Explore all 43 Sade Adu quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sade-adu/) ## More Categories quotes > [...the number of saintly men has not yet risen to the level where the census makes them a separate statistical category.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stigler/the-number-of-saintly-men-has-not-yet-risen-to-the-level-where-the/) [George Stigler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stigler/) > [As a politician - particularly as a politician in a coalition - you quickly realise that compromise is a part of the game. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-davey/as-a-politician-particularly-as-a-politician-in-a-coalition-you/) [Edward Davey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-davey/) > [I've worked with jazz artists, country artists, classical artists, pop artists. I never wanted there to be categories, because when I was a kid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-mcknight/i-ve-worked-with-jazz-artists-country-artists-classical-artists-pop/) [Brian McKnight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-mcknight/) > [ I don't think in national categories. For me it \[policy\] is about concepts and substance. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-claude-juncker/i-don-t-think-in-national-categories-for-me-it-policy-is-about/) [Jean-Claude Juncker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-claude-juncker/) > [Virtually every major technological advance in the history of the human species- back to the invention of stone tools and the domestication of fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-dennett/virtually-every-major-technological-advance-in-the-history-of-the/) [Daniel Dennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-dennett/) > [We don't need to complicate all the "reasons" behind our emotions. It's much simpler than that. Two categories .. good feelings, bad feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/we-don-t-need-to-complicate-all-the-reasons-behind-our-emotions-it-s/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [I put the truth out there, I put the historical facts into Hip Hop to show us how much history repeats itself and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immortal-technique/i-put-the-truth-out-there-i-put-the-historical-facts-into-hip-hop-to/) [Immortal Technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immortal-technique/) > [I am devoting my lecture in this seminar to a discussion of the possibility that we are now entering a Jewish century, a time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-a-siegel/i-am-devoting-my-lecture-in-this-seminar-to-a-discussion-of-the/) [Martin A. 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I was crazy about reading biographies. \[...\] I think biographies are very urgent… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-read-so-ravenously-that-i-would-read-through-whole-categories-i-was/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [... the notions category and functor were not formulated or put in print until the idea of a natural transformation was also at hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saunders-mac-lane/the-notions-category-and-functor-were-not-formulated-or-put-in-print/) [Saunders Mac Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saunders-mac-lane/) > [Last guy I was interested in turned out to be an incestuous necrophiliac," she said. 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