--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I got into the music business thinking it…" description: "\"I got into the music business thinking it was really radical, that it wasn't really a business at all, that it was a lot of people being artistic and c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbd/thom-yorke-979_artistic_i-got-into-the-music-business-thinking-i_31484.jpg" --- # I got into the music business thinking it was really… ![“I got into the music business thinking it was really radical, that it wasn't really a business at all, that it was a lot of people being artistic and creative. Not true, and it made me very depressed.” quote by Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbd/thom-yorke-979_artistic_i-got-into-the-music-business-thinking-i_31484.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbd/thom-yorke-979_artistic_i-got-into-the-music-business-thinking-i_31484.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bbd/thom-yorke-979_artistic_i-got-into-the-music-business-thinking-i_31484.jpg) > “I got into the music business thinking it was really radical, that it wasn't really a business at all, that it was a lot of people being artistic and creative. Not true, and it made me very depressed.” [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker realized that the music industry is driven by commercial imperatives rather than pure artistic expression, leading to disillusionment. **In simple terms:** Artistic idealism clashes with market realities. Key Takeaway Creative passion can be undermined by profit motives. Themes Art vs Commerce Creative Disillusionment Industry Reality Mental Health Expectation vs Reality Mood Disillusioned Reflective Melancholic Type Personal Anecdote Industry Critique When to use this quote - Aspiring musicians entering the field - Artists negotiating contracts - Creative teams facing budget cuts - Fans confronting industry scandals - Students studying cultural economics Key Concepts Music Industry Artist Identity Economic Structures Practical Applications - Developing realistic career expectations - Designing support systems for creative professionals Questions to Reflect On - How can artists balance integrity with financial viability? - What structures could protect creative well‑being? A Different Perspective Some argue that commercial success can fund artistic freedom, but this often masks systemic pressures that stifle creativity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Artistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artistic/) [Business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/business/) [Creative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creative/) [Depressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/depressed/) [Made](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/made/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music business](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-business/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Radical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical/) [Radical Wasn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radical-wasn-428069/) [Really Radical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-radical-428067/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [True Depressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/true-depressed-428068/) [Very depressed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-depressed/) ## Related quotes > [The only thing I could think of was turkey neck and turkey gizzards and I felt very depressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/the-only-thing-i-could-think-of-was-turkey-neck-and-turkey-gizzards/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [My politics were really radical when I was younger, and then I moderated like everyone else does when they start having kids.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-earle/my-politics-were-really-radical-when-i-was-younger-and-then-i/) [Steve Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-earle/) > [You can do something really radical, which is turn your phone off and reclaim your private life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/devra-davis/you-can-do-something-really-radical-which-is-turn-your-phone-off-and/) [Devra Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/devra-davis/) > [Radical innovation is difficult to fund. It seems scary. And the really radical things seem even more scary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nolan-bushnell/radical-innovation-is-difficult-to-fund-it-seems-scary-and-the-really/) [Nolan Bushnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nolan-bushnell/) > [I do think it's a real problem when we have 'Black Lives Matter' making statements that are really radical, that are absolutely false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-sessions/i-do-think-it-s-a-real-problem-when-we-have-black-lives-matter-making/) [Jeff Sessions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-sessions/) > [“Max paused as a radical idea hit him. Really radical. The kind that would either save them or damn the entire world. Too bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/max-paused-as-a-radical-idea-hit-him-really-radical-the-kind-that/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [I thought I was really a radical, political person, which of course I am not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/i-thought-i-was-really-a-radical-political-person-which-of-course-i/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [If I say most people are pretty decent that may sound nice and warm but actually it's really radical and subversive and that's why,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rutger-bregman/if-i-say-most-people-are-pretty-decent-that-may-sound-nice-and-warm/) [Rutger Bregman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rutger-bregman/) > [It really is a very radical call ... to reject materialism as our central value and to think about the sanctity of life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-oreskes/it-really-is-a-very-radical-call-to-reject-materialism-as-our-central/) [Naomi Oreskes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-oreskes/) > [I can get very depressed by a review that is unfair, unreasonable, and totally destructive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-o-hara/i-can-get-very-depressed-by-a-review-that-is-unfair-unreasonable-and/) [John O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-o-hara/) > [I love creating. I am addicted to the drug of creation and creating things. I get a little depressed when I am struggling to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/i-love-creating-i-am-addicted-to-the-drug-of-creation-and-creating/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [Last time I spoke to my mom she called me from a pay phone, and we didn't have the best talk. Ever since my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-west/last-time-i-spoke-to-my-mom-she-called-me-from-a-pay-phone-and-we/) [Eric West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-west/) > [Recently I began reading my old diaries. Back to before the war. Gradually I became very depressed. The reason for that is probably that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathe-kollwitz/recently-i-began-reading-my-old-diaries-back-to-before-the-war/) [Kathe Kollwitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathe-kollwitz/) > [Even when I was very depressed, I could hold on to something. It seems that I have always had that streak of gold that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-schenker/even-when-i-was-very-depressed-i-could-hold-on-to-something-it-seems/) [Michael Schenker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-schenker/) > [You were never created to live depressed, defeated, guilty, condemned, ashamed or unworthy. You were created to be victorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/you-were-never-created-to-live-depressed-defeated-guilty-condemned/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) ## More by Thom Yorke > [How come I end up where I started How come I end up where I belong... You used to be alright What happened?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/how-come-i-end-up-where-i-started-how-come-i-end-up-where-i-belong/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I named my son Noah for the same reason Chris Martin named his apple: we're asses.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-named-my-son-noah-for-the-same-reason-chris-martin-named-his-apple/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [Rock music is, is a necessary evil, like beating my children with penny loafers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/rock-music-is-is-a-necessary-evil-like-beating-my-children-with-penny/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [We're at a time when we are being presented with undeniable changes in the global climate and fundamental issues that affect every single one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/we-re-at-a-time-when-we-are-being-presented-with-undeniable-changes/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [When even your fans are writing to tell you to get a life, you know you need to listen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/when-even-your-fans-are-writing-to-tell-you-to-get-a-life-you-know/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [Space Jam is my favorite movie. Don't ask me why, it just is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/space-jam-is-my-favorite-movie-don-t-ask-me-why-it-just-is/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [My dad spent his whole life getting into fights for telling what he believed to be the truth. Basically it comes from my dad-and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/my-dad-spent-his-whole-life-getting-into-fights-for-telling-what-he/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [People sometimes say we take things too seriously, but it's the only way you'll get anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/people-sometimes-say-we-take-things-too-seriously-but-it-s-the-only/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I'm achingly aware of my own limitations as both part of the human race and as an individual. I'm just, casting this out that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-m-achingly-aware-of-my-own-limitations-as-both-part-of-the-human/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [One little leak becomes a lake, Says the tiny voice in my earpiece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/one-little-leak-becomes-a-lake-says-the-tiny-voice-in-my-earpiece/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I often fake my death and then just show up at people's houses. They say 'that's a good one Thom' but I know maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-often-fake-my-death-and-then-just-show-up-at-people-s-houses-they/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [There are a lot of things I cannot do, such as eat books and read chicken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/there-are-a-lot-of-things-i-cannot-do-such-as-eat-books-and-read/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I wanted to live with the \*\*\*\*ing manta rays, but they banned me from Sea World.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-wanted-to-live-with-the-ing-manta-rays-but-they-banned-me-from-sea/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [I often steal sandwiches, eat them, and put the container's back., with a signed autograph of my self in its place. It's my way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-often-steal-sandwiches-eat-them-and-put-the-container-s-back-with-a/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [If we got into a situation where people start burning our records, then bring it on. That's the whole point. The gloaming has begun.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/if-we-got-into-a-situation-where-people-start-burning-our-records/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) [Explore all 315 Thom Yorke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) ## More Artistic quotes > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [We don't make glamorous movies today. Everything now is very realistic, artistic - and depressing. When is the last time you you saw a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edith-head/we-don-t-make-glamorous-movies-today-everything-now-is-very-realistic/) [Edith Head](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edith-head/) > [Unfortunately, moral beauty in art - like physical beauty in a person - is extremely perishable. It is nowhere so durable as artistic or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/unfortunately-moral-beauty-in-art-like-physical-beauty-in-a-person-is/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [Ideal for the child and society in the best of times, Rudolf Steiner's brilliant process of education is critically needed and profoundly relevant now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-chilton-pearce/ideal-for-the-child-and-society-in-the-best-of-times-rudolf-steiner-s/) [Joseph Chilton Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-chilton-pearce/) > [In a personal way, to do with family and the father-son relationship, in a kind of artistic way with regard to him being an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-serkis/in-a-personal-way-to-do-with-family-and-the-father-son-relationship/) [Andy Serkis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-serkis/) > [It took me a long time to get to where I am, but I am here and it is everywhere I want to be.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/princess-nokia/it-took-me-a-long-time-to-get-to-where-i-am-but-i-am-here-and-it-is/) [Princess Nokia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/princess-nokia/) > [When we idealize the real, we sacrifice to artistic fancy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fuseli/when-we-idealize-the-real-we-sacrifice-to-artistic-fancy/) [Henry Fuseli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fuseli/) > [For now, I'm supposing that all movements are equal, which they're not, except in this respect: that none of them gives a damn about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilfrid-sheed/for-now-i-m-supposing-that-all-movements-are-equal-which-they-re-not/) [Wilfrid Sheed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilfrid-sheed/) > [At a time when painting itself often seems to be a threatened, even despised, form of artistic activity, Andrew Salgado emerges as a dazzlingly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-lucie-smith/at-a-time-when-painting-itself-often-seems-to-be-a-threatened-even/) [Edward Lucie-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-lucie-smith/) > [I think once the artistic world of the type designer merged with the scientific world of the computer programmer, you began to see this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bierut/i-think-once-the-artistic-world-of-the-type-designer-merged-with-the/) [Michael Bierut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bierut/) > [Abstract Expressionism was invented by New York drunks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joni-mitchell/abstract-expressionism-was-invented-by-new-york-drunks/) [Joni Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joni-mitchell/) > [Writers and musicians know well the importance of extensive reading for successful writing or extensive listening for musical composition. Likewise, visual artists... understand that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laseau/writers-and-musicians-know-well-the-importance-of-extensive-reading/) [Paul Laseau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laseau/) > [Being a Catholic, I was drawn to the mystery of the Latin and the smoke and the mirrors and all of that. That part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/being-a-catholic-i-was-drawn-to-the-mystery-of-the-latin-and-the/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) > [It is, of course, a luxury to create art and, on top of this, to insist on expressing one's own artistic opinion. Nothing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-beckmann/it-is-of-course-a-luxury-to-create-art-and-on-top-of-this-to-insist/) [Max Beckmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-beckmann/) > [Niches set back in the walls contained polished marble statues of entwined bodies. Will looked away from them hastily, and then back. It wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/niches-set-back-in-the-walls-contained-polished-marble-statues-of/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) [Browse all 1,574 Artistic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artistic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I got into the music business thinking it was really radical, that it wasn't really a business at all, that it was a lot of people being artistic and creative. 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