--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I see songs not as a commodity used up…" description: "\"I see songs not as a commodity used up when the album goes off the charts, which is often the case with pop songs. I see them as a body of work. Life s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cc/sting-3009_albums_i-see-songs-not-as-a-commodity-used-up-w_836286.png" --- # I see songs not as a commodity used up when the album goes… ![“I see songs not as a commodity used up when the album goes off the charts, which is often the case with pop songs. I see them as a body of work. Life should be breathed into them.” quote by Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cc/sting-3009_albums_i-see-songs-not-as-a-commodity-used-up-w_836286.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cc/sting-3009_albums_i-see-songs-not-as-a-commodity-used-up-w_836286.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9cc/sting-3009_albums_i-see-songs-not-as-a-commodity-used-up-w_836286.png) > “I see songs not as a commodity used up when the album goes off the charts, which is often the case with pop songs. I see them as a body of work. Life should be breathed into them.” [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Albums should be viewed as cohesive works of art, not disposable singles. **In simple terms:** Treat albums as lasting art. Key Takeaway Create and appreciate whole albums. Themes artistry legacy creativity Mood appreciative inspired Type musical philosophical When to use this quote - album production - music education - collectors - streaming platforms Key Concepts music theory cultural criticism Questions to Reflect On - How can listeners support album‑centric artists? - What makes an album feel like a unified work? A Different Perspective Commercial pressure favors singles over albums. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Albums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/albums/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Pop song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pop-song/) [Pop songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pop-songs/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [I still play the same kit that I used on the very first album. It's an old Tama Superstar that I bought in 1983.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reed-mullin/i-still-play-the-same-kit-that-i-used-on-the-very-first-album-it-s-an/) [Reed Mullin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reed-mullin/) > [I am a pop girl! And I'm on a major label. I enjoy singing pop songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katy-perry/i-am-a-pop-girl-and-i-m-on-a-major-label-i-enjoy-singing-pop-songs/) [Katy Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katy-perry/) > [I've covered Avril Lavigne. I like good pop songs, and I don't think there should be any kind of preconceptions about where good pop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-gibbard/i-ve-covered-avril-lavigne-i-like-good-pop-songs-and-i-don-t-think/) [Ben Gibbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-gibbard/) > [I admire pop songs that are perfect at three minutes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ives/i-admire-pop-songs-that-are-perfect-at-three-minutes/) [David Ives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ives/) > [Pop songs are not as graceful as they used to be. Performers today haven’t gone through the regimen of learning how to write. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-david/pop-songs-are-not-as-graceful-as-they-used-to-be-performers-today-2/) [Hal David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-david/) > [I appreciate short, perfect pop songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-kokal/i-appreciate-short-perfect-pop-songs/) [Emily Kokal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-kokal/) > [I don't own an ABBA album, and I never had the urge to go and buy one. If you're just talking about well crafted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-collins/i-don-t-own-an-abba-album-and-i-never-had-the-urge-to-go-and-buy-one/) [Phil Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-collins/) > [I'm inspired by artists like Robyn, just because she writes amazing pop songs, and they're not throwaway. When I listen to a Robyn pop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charli-xcx/i-m-inspired-by-artists-like-robyn-just-because-she-writes-amazing/) [Charli XCX](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charli-xcx/) > [When it's a pop song, I don't really want to do pop songs, but they exist and sort of come out by accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-pierce/when-it-s-a-pop-song-i-don-t-really-want-to-do-pop-songs-but-they/) [Jason Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-pierce/) > [When I was working on the music for this I didn't want to just use pop songs as the score - most movies do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-coppola/when-i-was-working-on-the-music-for-this-i-didn-t-want-to-just-use/) [Sofia Coppola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-coppola/) > [I sing songs from the theater and pop songs. When I say 'pop songs,' I mean from the 90's. And I tell jokes. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-benanti/i-sing-songs-from-the-theater-and-pop-songs-when-i-say-pop-songs-i/) [Laura Benanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-benanti/) > [I'm trying to use people like Meredith Monk and Philip Glass and Terry Riley as the backing tracks for new pop songs. It's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/autre-ne-veut/i-m-trying-to-use-people-like-meredith-monk-and-philip-glass-and/) [Autre Ne Veut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/autre-ne-veut/) > [I like to write pop songs and the stuff I write is fairly poppy, so I thought maybe my lot in life was to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-bruno/i-like-to-write-pop-songs-and-the-stuff-i-write-is-fairly-poppy-so-i/) [Aaron Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-bruno/) > [I really got into psych because everything has a really good groove to it and it's nicely spaced out, but ultimately they are just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-romano/i-really-got-into-psych-because-everything-has-a-really-good-groove/) Mike Romano > [We kind of write pop songs, but we don't fit in the pop world. We're really bad at being pop stars and walking down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-white/we-kind-of-write-pop-songs-but-we-don-t-fit-in-the-pop-world-we-re/) Katie White ## More by Sting > [I do my best work when I am in pain and turmoil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/i-do-my-best-work-when-i-am-in-pain-and-turmoil/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [“Every road I walked would take me down to the sea With every broken promise in my sack And every love would always send…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/every-road-i-walked-would-take-me-down-to-the-sea-with-every-broken/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [I quite like mistakes. I think they're human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/i-quite-like-mistakes-i-think-they-re-human/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [“...being in love is to be relieved of gravity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/being-in-love-is-to-be-relieved-of-gravity/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [I went off to fight some battle that I'd invented inside me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/i-went-off-to-fight-some-battle-that-i-d-invented-inside-me/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [Like music, yoga is a journey -- one that is long enough so you keep developing, and keep learning. I don't see an end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/like-music-yoga-is-a-journey-one-that-is-long-enough-so-you-keep/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [They build machines they can't control, and bury the waste in a great big hole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/they-build-machines-they-can-t-control-and-bury-the-waste-in-a-great/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [I can't really change my life to accommodate people who are jealous. I don't see why I should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/i-can-t-really-change-my-life-to-accommodate-people-who-are-jealous-i/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [“You have to be yourself. Be very honest about who and what you are. And if people still like or love you, that's great.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/you-have-to-be-yourself-be-very-honest-about-who-and-what-you-are-and/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [Love is stronger than justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/love-is-stronger-than-justice/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [Let your pain be my sorrow. Let your tears be my tears too. Let your courage be my model. That the north you find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/let-your-pain-be-my-sorrow-let-your-tears-be-my-tears-too-let-your/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [I don't think happiness is necessarily the reason we're here. I think we're here to learn and evolve, and the pursuit of knowledge is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/i-don-t-think-happiness-is-necessarily-the-reason-we-re-here-i-think/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [I realize that nothing's as it seems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/i-realize-that-nothing-s-as-it-seems/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [“Great music as much about the space in between the notes as it is about the notes themselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/great-music-as-much-about-the-space-in-between-the-notes-as-it-is/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) > [My comfortable existence is reduced to a shallow meaningless party.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sting/my-comfortable-existence-is-reduced-to-a-shallow-meaningless-party/) [Sting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) [Explore all 142 Sting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sting/) ## More Albums quotes > [Check out the albums, ... Check out the live performances. That's the reality of it all. Music is such an energizing thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mayall/check-out-the-albums-check-out-the-live-performances-that-s-the/) [John Mayall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mayall/) > [It's been really fun to see with each album when I change to see the fans of the show emulate my style and with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avril-lavigne/it-s-been-really-fun-to-see-with-each-album-when-i-change-to-see-the/) [Avril Lavigne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avril-lavigne/) > [It's my intention to make something stand outside the realm of album art, but it also feels comfortable to me to be in it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dyer-baizley/it-s-my-intention-to-make-something-stand-outside-the-realm-of-album/) [John Dyer Baizley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dyer-baizley/) > [The weird thing was that Soft Cell was supposed to have come and gone before I started the album.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-almond/the-weird-thing-was-that-soft-cell-was-supposed-to-have-come-and-gone/) [Marc Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-almond/) > [I believe in full albums, and whatever comes out of those full albums will come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roddy-ricch/i-believe-in-full-albums-and-whatever-comes-out-of-those-full-albums/) [Roddy Ricch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roddy-ricch/) > [Doing my own album provided me the opportunity to say whatever I wanted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-marx/doing-my-own-album-provided-me-the-opportunity-to-say-whatever-i/) [Richard Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-marx/) > [The album is a definite departure. I haven't written original material before, except for one song on my first album, but Elvis and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-krall/the-album-is-a-definite-departure-i-haven-t-written-original-material/) [Diana Krall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-krall/) > [I never do any album to beat it. I do it to extend it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-never-do-any-album-to-beat-it-i-do-it-to-extend-it/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [I love Katy Perry! She gave me a song for my second album.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selena-gomez/i-love-katy-perry-she-gave-me-a-song-for-my-second-album/) [Selena Gomez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selena-gomez/) > [If you're going to reach for it, reach all the way for it. Albums like 'Purple Rain' and 'Thriller' and those kind of records,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-sitek/if-you-re-going-to-reach-for-it-reach-all-the-way-for-it-albums-like/) [Dave Sitek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-sitek/) > [I'll put out an album, and people review it, and some people love it, and some people tear it apart. By nature of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/girl-talk/i-ll-put-out-an-album-and-people-review-it-and-some-people-love-it/) [Girl Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/girl-talk/) > [I've been connected to the most culturally important albums of the past four years, the most influential artists of the past ten years. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/i-ve-been-connected-to-the-most-culturally-important-albums-of-the/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [George Winston piano albums have been my go-to since junior high.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sacca/george-winston-piano-albums-have-been-my-go-to-since-junior-high/) [Chris Sacca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sacca/) > [Someone told me once that Lucinda Williams takes six years between albums, and that's what stuck to me; it's like, you really are a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/someone-told-me-once-that-lucinda-williams-takes-six-years-between/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) > [Now I'm having to live with sales of around 50,000 per album - but I'm pretty content with my place in the general scheme…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-knopfler/now-i-m-having-to-live-with-sales-of-around-50-000-per-album-but-i-m/) [David Knopfler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-knopfler/) [Browse all 2,275 Albums quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/albums/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I see songs not as a commodity used up when the album goes off the charts, which is often the case with pop songs. 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