--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've never believed that pop music is…" description: "\"I've never believed that pop music is escapist trash. There's always a darkness in it, even amidst great pop music.\" — Thom Yorke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/381/thom-yorke-979_darkness_i-ve-never-believed-that-pop-music-is-es_503567.jpg" --- # I've never believed that pop music is escapist trash… ![“I've never believed that pop music is escapist trash. There's always a darkness in it, even amidst great pop music.” quote by Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/381/thom-yorke-979_darkness_i-ve-never-believed-that-pop-music-is-es_503567.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/381/thom-yorke-979_darkness_i-ve-never-believed-that-pop-music-is-es_503567.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/381/thom-yorke-979_darkness_i-ve-never-believed-that-pop-music-is-es_503567.jpg) > “I've never believed that pop music is escapist trash. There's always a darkness in it, even amidst great pop music.” [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. Pop music often contains hidden darkness despite its bright surface, challenging the escapist label. **In simple terms:** Pop can be dark underneath. Key Takeaway Listen beyond surface appeal. Themes music duality culture Mood thoughtful melancholic Type critical insightful When to use this quote - music criticism - songwriting - media analysis - personal reflection Key Concepts aesthetic depth emotional complexity social critique Questions to Reflect On - Why do listeners seek depth in pop? - How does darkness affect pop's impact? A Different Perspective May generalize across genres. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) [Escapist Trash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escapist-trash-4282539/) [Great Pop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-pop-2374893/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music Escapist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-escapist-1863978/) [Pop music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pop-music/) [Trash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trash/) [Trash Darkness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trash-darkness-4282540/) ## Related quotes > [I think a lot of pop music is escapist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauv/i-think-a-lot-of-pop-music-is-escapist/) [Lauv](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauv/) > [Pop music is always great for keeping the energy up, but it can get really old, especially after eight hours, just because there aren't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-ratajkowski/pop-music-is-always-great-for-keeping-the-energy-up-but-it-can-get/) [Emily Ratajkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-ratajkowski/) > [In my teenage years I was as addicted to great pop as I was to free jazz, electronic music, and hardcore blues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-walker/in-my-teenage-years-i-was-as-addicted-to-great-pop-as-i-was-to-free/) [Scott Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-walker/) > [I first heard Laura Branigan sing live in my brother Nesuhi's apartment, where we had gone because he had a very good piano. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmet-ertegun/i-first-heard-laura-branigan-sing-live-in-my-brother-nesuhi-s/) [Ahmet Ertegun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmet-ertegun/) > [I do love great pop music, The Hollies had brilliant pop records.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-walsh/i-do-love-great-pop-music-the-hollies-had-brilliant-pop-records/) [Louis Walsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-walsh/) > [Anyone would be embarrassed of what they did at 15 or 16. I listen back to that first record, and I'm like, 'Compared to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-moore/anyone-would-be-embarrassed-of-what-they-did-at-15-or-16-i-listen/) [Mandy Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-moore/) > [I think people are getting a little bit more risky and that's always when great pop music is born. No fear of looking raunchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chappell-roan/i-think-people-are-getting-a-little-bit-more-risky-and-that-s-always/) [Chappell Roan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chappell-roan/) > [A great pop song should be felt when you hear it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-martin/a-great-pop-song-should-be-felt-when-you-hear-it/) [Max Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-martin/) > [Till Death Do Us Party,' I think we put out a great pop album that we recorded in like three days, and it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adore-delano/till-death-do-us-party-i-think-we-put-out-a-great-pop-album-that-we/) [Adore Delano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adore-delano/) > [Why can't you write a great pop song when you are 85? Maybe you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-finn/why-can-t-you-write-a-great-pop-song-when-you-are-85-maybe-you-can/) [Tim Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-finn/) > [In the mid- to late '70s, there was no one better than ABBA at writing and producing great pop.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wilson/in-the-mid-to-late-70s-there-was-no-one-better-than-abba-at-writing/) [Steven Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wilson/) > [I do like Britney Spears. I think she's cute. I think she's fun. And I like her records. You know, I'm not a pop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/i-do-like-britney-spears-i-think-she-s-cute-i-think-she-s-fun-and-i/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [I'm a great pop culture lover, and I'm not a snob.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-furnish/i-m-a-great-pop-culture-lover-and-i-m-not-a-snob/) [David Furnish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-furnish/) > [Die Antwoord is super pop. It's a pop music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/watkin-tudor-jones/die-antwoord-is-super-pop-it-s-a-pop-music/) [Watkin Tudor Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/watkin-tudor-jones/) > [I like Sam Smith and Taylor Swift. I love pop music, but I also like Sam Smith's slow songs. That would be more to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maddie-ziegler/i-like-sam-smith-and-taylor-swift-i-love-pop-music-but-i-also-like/) [Maddie Ziegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maddie-ziegler/) ## 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/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/i-got-into-the-music-business-thinking-it-was-really-radical-that-it/) [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/) [Explore all 315 Thom Yorke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) ## More Darkness quotes > [“Narrative cannot sustain formlessness any more than light can sustain darkness - it is the antithesis of formlessness, and so it can never truly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/narrative-cannot-sustain-formlessness-any-more-than-light-can-sustain/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [“Wait here, wait here!" he cried and jumped up and began to run for help toward a cluster of lights he saw in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/wait-here-wait-here-he-cried-and-jumped-up-and-began-to-run-for-help/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [Strange - is it not? That of the myriads who Before us passed the door of Darkness through, Not one returns to tell us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/strange-is-it-not-that-of-the-myriads-who-before-us-passed-the-door/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Clear moments are so short. There is much more darkness. More ocean than terra firma. More shadow than form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-zagajewski/clear-moments-are-so-short-there-is-much-more-darkness-more-ocean/) [Adam Zagajewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-zagajewski/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > [I guess he'll have to figure out someday that he is supposed to have this dark side, that it is part of what it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-guess-he-ll-have-to-figure-out-someday-that-he-is-supposed-to-have/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [“I promise to respect and protect your aloneness, knowing that everything created must have its period of darkness: child and bulb, poem and personality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/i-promise-to-respect-and-protect-your-aloneness-knowing-that/) [anne morrow lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [The beauty of darkness is how it lets you see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-rich/the-beauty-of-darkness-is-how-it-lets-you-see/) [Adrienne Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-rich/) > [“Even in darkness your lips taste of sunshine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francesca-lia-block/even-in-darkness-your-lips-taste-of-sunshine/) [Francesca Lia Block](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francesca-lia-block/) > [“Defy me not for gleam can only shine in my existence" said Darkness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/defy-me-not-for-gleam-can-only-shine-in-my-existence-said-darkness/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What does he look like? The question was soft- tentative. I knew who he meant. I interlaced my fingers through Rhysand's and squeezed tightly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/what-does-he-look-like-the-question-was-soft-tentative-i-knew-who-he/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [The dream of coming back is becoming a reality. A lot of the uncertainty about the future has been cleared up. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-tagliabue/the-dream-of-coming-back-is-becoming-a-reality-a-lot-of-the/) [Paul Tagliabue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-tagliabue/) > [“Life is like coffee, the darker it gets, the more it energizes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ankita-singhal/life-is-like-coffee-the-darker-it-gets-the-more-it-energizes/) [Ankita Singhal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ankita-singhal/) > [Twinking tears in a sea of black. Soft light in a world of darkness. Tiny wishes in a place of dreams. Do you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-gentile/twinking-tears-in-a-sea-of-black-soft-light-in-a-world-of-darkness/) [Nicole Gentile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-gentile/) [Browse all 8,219 Darkness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darkness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've never believed that pop music is escapist trash. 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