--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Music has become more pervasive and…" description: "\"“Music has become more pervasive and portable than ever. But it feels less previous in the bargain. I don't want to confuse artistic and commercial val..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3e/steve-almond-9602_music_music-has-become-more-pervasive-and-port_182151.png" --- # Music has become more pervasive and portable than ever… ![“Music has become more pervasive and portable than ever. But it feels less previous in the bargain. I don't want to confuse artistic and commercial value, but it's just a fact that some kid who rips an album for free isn't going to give it the same attention he would if it cost him ten bucks. At…” quote by Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3e/steve-almond-9602_music_music-has-become-more-pervasive-and-port_182151.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3e/steve-almond-9602_music_music-has-become-more-pervasive-and-port_182151.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e3e/steve-almond-9602_music_music-has-become-more-pervasive-and-port_182151.png) > ““Music has become more pervasive and portable than ever. But it feels less previous in the bargain. I don't want to confuse artistic and commercial value, but it's just a fact that some kid who rips an album for free isn't going to give it the same attention he would if it cost him ten bucks. At what point does convenience become spiritual indolence? I realize this makes me sound like an old fart, but sometimes I get nostalgic for the days when the universe of recorded sound wasn't at our fingertips, when we had to hunt and wait and - horror of horrors - do without, when our longing for a particular record or song made it feel sacred.”” [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects on how digital convenience reduces the perceived value and reverence for music, turning it into background noise rather than a cherished experience. **In simple terms:** Convenience makes music feel less special. Key Takeaway Value music by listening intentionally. Themes technology culture music value nostalgia Mood reflective nostalgic Type observational critical When to use this quote - personal listening habits - music purchasing - streaming services - collecting vinyl Key Concepts digital media attention economy spiritual indolence Questions to Reflect On - How does ease of access change your relationship with art? - Can you create rituals to honor music in a digital age? A Different Perspective Convenience can also democratize access and inspire new forms of appreciation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Album Free](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/album-free-1944673/) [Convenience Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convenience-spiritual-1944672/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music Pervasive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-pervasive-1944674/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Song Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song-feel/) [Spiritual Indolence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual-indolence-1944675/) ## Related quotes > [Although it's pretty rare that I'll get completed, finished lyrics to a song and feel like it's done, and then decide that it's not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-britt-daniel/although-it-s-pretty-rare-that-i-ll-get-completed-finished-lyrics-to/) [John Britt Daniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-britt-daniel/) > [Brazilian music has always been a part of us, but it's even more valuable now because of the sentiment or the theme of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taboo/brazilian-music-has-always-been-a-part-of-us-but-it-s-even-more/) [Taboo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taboo/) > [Baby listen wat m sayin, wat m playin natha luv song, I can feel da luv rainin you cud b da 1, holdin my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yung-nelly/baby-listen-wat-m-sayin-wat-m-playin-natha-luv-song-i-can-feel-da-luv/) [Yung NelLy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yung-nelly/) > [I can write for weeks or months sometimes and edit it down to a song. I feel like it's a piece of music that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/macklemore/i-can-write-for-weeks-or-months-sometimes-and-edit-it-down-to-a-song/) [Macklemore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/macklemore/) > [I can write a song that I feel so good about that. 'A hundred percent, this is money. This is an absolute smash.' And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benson-boone/i-can-write-a-song-that-i-feel-so-good-about-that-a-hundred-percent/) [Benson Boone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benson-boone/) > [When a singer sings a beautiful song you feel it deep within… but when GOD blesses you, you feel it all over…ER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-rothschild/when-a-singer-sings-a-beautiful-song-you-feel-it-deep-within-but-when/) [Eddie Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-rothschild/) > [I just feel like this guy who's visiting the music business over the weekend. Every time I write a song, I feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-grant/i-just-feel-like-this-guy-who-s-visiting-the-music-business-over-the/) [John Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-grant/) > [Whether I'm writing for myself or someone else, I'll always write a song that I would feel comfortable singing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/whether-i-m-writing-for-myself-or-someone-else-i-ll-always-write-a/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [For me, once I count the band in, and I delve deep into my song, I feel a certain sort of integrity and integration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/for-me-once-i-count-the-band-in-and-i-delve-deep-into-my-song-i-feel/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [People have so much going on in their heads. I'm like, If you could write a song, you'd feel so much better!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billie-eilish/people-have-so-much-going-on-in-their-heads-i-m-like-if-you-could/) [Billie Eilish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billie-eilish/) > [I write songs about stuff that I can't really get past personally - and then I write a song about it and I feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-winehouse/i-write-songs-about-stuff-that-i-can-t-really-get-past-personally-and/) [Amy Winehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-winehouse/) > [A lot of time when I'm creating songs, they're in real time. When I'm writing the song, I feel what I'm feeling for its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhene-aiko/a-lot-of-time-when-i-m-creating-songs-they-re-in-real-time-when-i-m/) [Jhene Aiko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhene-aiko/) > [When I enter a club and hear my song being played, I feel like it's not really my song and when I see people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seungri/when-i-enter-a-club-and-hear-my-song-being-played-i-feel-like-it-s/) [Seungri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seungri/) > [“Some guy on the radio is asking me to take it slow, switches to a commercial and I wait for the next song. Feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayendra/some-guy-on-the-radio-is-asking-me-to-take-it-slow-switches-to-a/) [Gayendra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayendra/) > [I suppose when you do it correctly, a good introduction and a good outro makes the song feel like it's coming out of something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-suppose-when-you-do-it-correctly-a-good-introduction-and-a-good/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) ## More by Steve Almond > [At the end of night, before you close your eyes, be content with what you've done and be proud of who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/at-the-end-of-night-before-you-close-your-eyes-be-content-with-what/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [The single biggest reason I got my stories taken in various literary magazines - and I want to stress this - is because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/the-single-biggest-reason-i-got-my-stories-taken-in-various-literary/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [I do think, as crazy as it sounds, that sports is an addiction and that it should be accorded some of the same supports…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/i-do-think-as-crazy-as-it-sounds-that-sports-is-an-addiction-and-that/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [“This is what songs do, even dumb pop songs: they remind us that emotions are not an inconvenient and vaguely embarrassing aspect of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/this-is-what-songs-do-even-dumb-pop-songs-they-remind-us-that/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [A lot of what I'm having to do to get myself weaned from football is really limit what media I allow myself to consume.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/a-lot-of-what-i-m-having-to-do-to-get-myself-weaned-from-football-is/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [People in long-term, monogamous relationships are crushed by the expectation that a partner is going to provide everything they are looking for and wondering…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/people-in-long-term-monogamous-relationships-are-crushed-by-the/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [Much as I love stories, I think I'll only be satisfied with myself as a writer if I'm able to produce a novel that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/much-as-i-love-stories-i-think-i-ll-only-be-satisfied-with-myself-as/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [But the real life of a writer resides in showing up at the keyboard every day, with the necessary patience and mercy, and making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/but-the-real-life-of-a-writer-resides-in-showing-up-at-the-keyboard/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [Why are people so fascinated by how to eat Valomilks?’ She said, ‘Well, Dad, they’re round and they’re messy. But that’s what makes them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/why-are-people-so-fascinated-by-how-to-eat-valomilks-she-said-well/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [“The connection being that in my head all language began in song and that the best stories inevitably reutrn to song, to a state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/the-connection-being-that-in-my-head-all-language-began-in-song-and/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [“But I come to stories in the naked hope they will fuck me up .”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/but-i-come-to-stories-in-the-naked-hope-they-will-fuck-me-up/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [Nothing on Earth so beautiful as the final haul on Halloween night.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/nothing-on-earth-so-beautiful-as-the-final-haul-on-halloween-night/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [“This was one of those mid-thirties moments when you take a look at the stale, half-chewed bagel your life has become and kiss jealousy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/this-was-one-of-those-mid-thirties-moments-when-you-take-a-look-at/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [“My own kind. I'm not sure there's a name for us. I suspect we're born this way: our hearts screwed in tight, already a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/my-own-kind-i-m-not-sure-there-s-a-name-for-us-i-suspect-we-re-born/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [There's an invisible army of woman and men who really don't get why we give so much of ourselves to football. And they need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/there-s-an-invisible-army-of-woman-and-men-who-really-don-t-get-why/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) [Explore all 71 Steve Almond quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) ## More Music quotes > [I feel like I definitely have a real sporty style, more so than a lot of people in G.O.O.D. Music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/i-feel-like-i-definitely-have-a-real-sporty-style-more-so-than-a-lot/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [Before I debuted, it was my goal to make my debut, and afterwards, I aimed at winning champion titles on television music shows, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hyuna/before-i-debuted-it-was-my-goal-to-make-my-debut-and-afterwards-i/) [Hyuna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hyuna/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I'm at the edge of the world, Where do I go from here? Do I disappear? Edge of the world, Should I sink or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bring-me-the-horizon/i-m-at-the-edge-of-the-world-where-do-i-go-from-here-do-i-disappear/) [Bring Me The Horizon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bring-me-the-horizon/) > [I've seen a lot of people come out of Carol City, but I had this distinct vision for Carol City, just me coming out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-curry/i-ve-seen-a-lot-of-people-come-out-of-carol-city-but-i-had-this/) [Denzel Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-curry/) > [When you listen to someone improvise, the notes that are played are only half the story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-laws/when-you-listen-to-someone-improvise-the-notes-that-are-played-are/) [Hubert Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-laws/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [ “Downloading's the same as what I used to do. I used to tape the charts of the songs I liked \[off the radio\]. I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-gallagher/downloading-s-the-same-as-what-i-used-to-do-i-used-to-tape-the-charts/) [Liam Gallagher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-gallagher/) > [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/) [Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/) > [Each woman is like an instrument, waiting to be learned, loved, and finely played, to have at last her own true music made.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-rothfuss/each-woman-is-like-an-instrument-waiting-to-be-learned-loved-and/) [Patrick Rothfuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-rothfuss/) > [I want people to hear my lyrics and my melodies and say, 'That dude's in pain.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-moody/i-want-people-to-hear-my-lyrics-and-my-melodies-and-say-that-dude-s/) [Ivan Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-moody/) > [I make dance music because I love to dance. 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I want to give something back to the younger generation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luciano-pavarotti/i-received-a-beautiful-welcome-to-the-world-of-music-i-want-to-give/) [Luciano Pavarotti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luciano-pavarotti/) [Browse all 55,293 Music quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Music has become more pervasive and portable than ever. But it feels less previous in the bargain. I don't want to confuse artistic and commercial value, but it's just a fact that some kid who rips an album for free isn't going to give it the same attention he would if it cost him ten bucks. At what point does convenience become spiritual indolence? 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