--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There was a time when pop music and rock…" description: "\"There was a time when pop music and rock music were really reaching for the stars and were not ashamed to be experimental. You think of a song like 'Sh..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/steven-wilson-4379_music_there-was-a-time-when-pop-music-and-rock_2109922.png" --- # There was a time when pop music and rock music were really… ![“There was a time when pop music and rock music were really reaching for the stars and were not ashamed to be experimental. You think of a song like 'Shout' by Tears for Fears. That's a massive global No. 1 hit, and yet the subject matter is very dark.” quote by Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/steven-wilson-4379_music_there-was-a-time-when-pop-music-and-rock_2109922.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/steven-wilson-4379_music_there-was-a-time-when-pop-music-and-rock_2109922.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/93e/steven-wilson-4379_music_there-was-a-time-when-pop-music-and-rock_2109922.png) > “There was a time when pop music and rock music were really reaching for the stars and were not ashamed to be experimental. You think of a song like 'Shout' by Tears for Fears. That's a massive global No. 1 hit, and yet the subject matter is very dark.” [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Past music embraced bold experimentation, merging dark themes with mainstream success, unlike today’s safer trends. **In simple terms:** Music used to be daring and dark yet popular. Key Takeaway Encourage creative risk‑taking in art. Themes creativity risk artistic integrity Mood nostalgic inspirational Type reflective advice When to use this quote - songwriting - album production - artist development - marketing strategy Key Concepts genre blending cultural shifts commercial pressure Questions to Reflect On - What risks can you take in your work? - How do you balance art and market? A Different Perspective Commercial success may pressure conformity; risk can alienate audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-rock/) [Pop music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pop-music/) [Reaching for the stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reaching-for-the-stars/) [Reaching Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reaching-stars-904820/) [Rock music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rock-music/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tears/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [“If we want our species to survive in the long term, human beings cannot afford to stop reaching for the stars.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-doherty/if-we-want-our-species-to-survive-in-the-long-term-human-beings/) [Peter Doherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-doherty/) > [“No matter what you may have heard from motivational speakers, coaches, and the like, reaching for the stars is a recipe for failure. In”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-achor/no-matter-what-you-may-have-heard-from-motivational-speakers-coaches/) [Shawn Achor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-achor/) > [As we reflect back upon the tragic loss of Challenger and her brave crew of heroes who were aboard that fateful day, I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/as-we-reflect-back-upon-the-tragic-loss-of-challenger-and-her-brave/) [Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/) > [“If you're reaching for the stars it's because you belong among them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-l-shanahan/if-you-re-reaching-for-the-stars-it-s-because-you-belong-among-them/) [M.L. Shanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-l-shanahan/) > [“If Gran says, 'Reach for the stars--that way, if you miss, you'll land on the moon,' then Mama says, 'If you spend all your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rubin/if-gran-says-reach-for-the-stars-that-way-if-you-miss-you-ll-land-on/) [Sarah Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rubin/) > [In my work I try to reach and speak to that innocence, showing it the fun and joy of living; showing it that laughter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/in-my-work-i-try-to-reach-and-speak-to-that-innocence-showing-it-the-2/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [“The sky is the limit only if you have a problem with reaching for the stars.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/the-sky-is-the-limit-only-if-you-have-a-problem-with-reaching-for-the/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“When reaching for the stars, beware of those who want to cut off your hands.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/when-reaching-for-the-stars-beware-of-those-who-want-to-cut-off-your/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“By reaching for the stars, Jefferson gave us all the impulse. He”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccullough/by-reaching-for-the-stars-jefferson-gave-us-all-the-impulse-he/) [David McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccullough/) > [Dont fool yourself that you are going to have it all. You are not. Psychologically, having it all is not even a valid concept.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-fool-yourself-that-you-are-going-to-have-it-all-you-are-not/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In my work, I try to reach and speak to that innocence, showing it the fun and joy of living; showing it that laughter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/in-my-work-i-try-to-reach-and-speak-to-that-innocence-showing-it-the/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [Reaching for the stars, perfectionists may end up clutching at air.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/reaching-for-the-stars-perfectionists-may-end-up-clutching-at-air/) [David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/) > [Loving someone who doesn't love your back is like reaching for the stars; you know you'll never get there but you just keep on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvin/loving-someone-who-doesn-t-love-your-back-is-like-reaching-for-the/) [Alvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvin/) > [“When your dreams are reaching for the stars, there's no point in keeping your feet on the ground. Take a chance and leap!!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-m-sawyer/when-your-dreams-are-reaching-for-the-stars-there-s-no-point-in/) [A.M. Sawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-m-sawyer/) > [“When we are reaching for the stars, the challenges ahead are such that we will perhaps have to come together to meet them: to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-marshall/when-we-are-reaching-for-the-stars-the-challenges-ahead-are-such-that/) [Tim Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-marshall/) ## More by Steven Wilson > [Pop shouldn't be a comfortable slipper. It should shock and surprise you and confront your expectations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/pop-shouldn-t-be-a-comfortable-slipper-it-should-shock-and-surprise/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [The truth is I got rid of 100% of my vinyl in the '90s. All the vinyl I have is re-bought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/the-truth-is-i-got-rid-of-100-of-my-vinyl-in-the-90s-all-the-vinyl-i/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [You've got a lot pulling at your time already - which may be the best reason to start cultivating your green thumb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/you-ve-got-a-lot-pulling-at-your-time-already-which-may-be-the-best/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [You forget, living outside of a country, that the actions of the government are not the actions of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/you-forget-living-outside-of-a-country-that-the-actions-of-the/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [Ultimately, I'd like to create a body of work where every album has its own personality and a reason to exist within the catalog,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/ultimately-i-d-like-to-create-a-body-of-work-where-every-album-has/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [We had an extreme reaction to Storm Corrosion. We were proud of it, but it divided the audience. The metal fans were divided. Some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/we-had-an-extreme-reaction-to-storm-corrosion-we-were-proud-of-it-but/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [“I feel I'm living in parentheses”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/i-feel-i-m-living-in-parentheses/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [The real artists are ultimately people who don't consider their audience and are almost incapable of considering their audience. They can do what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/the-real-artists-are-ultimately-people-who-don-t-consider-their/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [I grew up with vinyl records and remember the pleasure and the kind of buzz that I got from buying a beautiful vinyl record…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/i-grew-up-with-vinyl-records-and-remember-the-pleasure-and-the-kind/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [It's always lovely to discover that the people that you kind of look up to are actually very down-to-earth people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/it-s-always-lovely-to-discover-that-the-people-that-you-kind-of-look/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [If you want to be an entertainer and just keep your audience happy, that's one thing. But to be an artist, I think, means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/if-you-want-to-be-an-entertainer-and-just-keep-your-audience-happy/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [I always wanted to create my own musical world. That takes time and must be earned, and it does mean sometimes confronting the expectations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/i-always-wanted-to-create-my-own-musical-world-that-takes-time-and/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [My fifth record is, in many ways, inspired by the hugely ambitious progressive pop records that I loved in my youth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/my-fifth-record-is-in-many-ways-inspired-by-the-hugely-ambitious/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [I've never been one of those people who say, 'Oh, well, if you play this kind of music, you can only like these kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/i-ve-never-been-one-of-those-people-who-say-oh-well-if-you-play-this/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [Being English, we're polite and reserved, we don't express our opinions; we're very private people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/being-english-we-re-polite-and-reserved-we-don-t-express-our-opinions/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) [Explore all 112 Steven Wilson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) ## 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. But I want to think at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stromae/i-make-dance-music-because-i-love-to-dance-but-i-want-to-think-at-the/) [Stromae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stromae/) > [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/) [Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. 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": "There was a time when pop music and rock music were really reaching for the stars and were not ashamed to be experimental. You think of a song like 'Shout' by Tears for Fears. 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