--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you finish a song, your first…" description: "\"When you finish a song, your first thought is going to be, 'Is this song a hit?' I hate that we think that way, because it kind of takes a little bit o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b8/thomas-rhett-10881_finish_when-you-finish-a-song-your-first-though_2958792.jpg" --- # When you finish a song, your first thought is going to be… ![“When you finish a song, your first thought is going to be, 'Is this song a hit?' I hate that we think that way, because it kind of takes a little bit of the meaning out of the songs that are being written, but you're definitely going to think, 'Can this song be put on the radio?'” quote by Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b8/thomas-rhett-10881_finish_when-you-finish-a-song-your-first-though_2958792.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b8/thomas-rhett-10881_finish_when-you-finish-a-song-your-first-though_2958792.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b8/thomas-rhett-10881_finish_when-you-finish-a-song-your-first-though_2958792.jpg) > “When you finish a song, your first thought is going to be, 'Is this song a hit?' I hate that we think that way, because it kind of takes a little bit of the meaning out of the songs that are being written, but you're definitely going to think, 'Can this song be put on the radio?'” [Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The artist criticizes the tendency to evaluate music by commercial success, fearing it strips artistic meaning and reduces creative integrity. **In simple terms:** Commercial focus can diminish a song’s true purpose. Key Takeaway Prioritize artistic expression over marketability. Themes creativity industry pressure authenticity artistic integrity Mood critical thoughtful Type musical industry. When to use this quote - songwriting sessions - record label meetings - radio pitching - music festivals Key Concepts commercialization artistic compromise creative process Questions to Reflect On - Do you value a song’s message over its chart potential? - How can artists stay true while seeking listeners? A Different Perspective Not all songs aim for mainstream appeal; niche art matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Finish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finish/) [Finish Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finish-song-240284/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning/) [Meaning Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning-songs-3041722/) [Radio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/radio/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Song Radio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song-radio/) [Song Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song-thought-689161/) [Think Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-song/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) ## Related quotes > [To finish a song is the best feeling in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/to-finish-a-song-is-the-best-feeling-in-the-world/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [Well after 'Fast Car' was so huge, everyone was asking me, 'What's the next song?' At the time I just had ideas I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonas-blue/well-after-fast-car-was-so-huge-everyone-was-asking-me-what-s-the/) [Jonas Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonas-blue/) > [When I'm in the studio, I don't finish the song and say, 'That's going to be a big ringtone.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-pain/when-i-m-in-the-studio-i-don-t-finish-the-song-and-say-that-s-going/) [T-Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-pain/) > [I used to feel like I wasn't a good songwriter when I couldn't finish a song by myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/i-used-to-feel-like-i-wasn-t-a-good-songwriter-when-i-couldn-t-finish/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) > [Before I can finish one song, another is knocking on my door in my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/before-i-can-finish-one-song-another-is-knocking-on-my-door-in-my-head/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [I would agree with that. But when I write lyrics, personally I don't care if the person who is listening to it understands what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-marsden/i-would-agree-with-that-but-when-i-write-lyrics-personally-i-don-t/) [David W. Marsden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-marsden/) > [I'm not the type of artist that's like, 'Let's go out and party and dance your life away!' I think those artists are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-lee/i-m-not-the-type-of-artist-that-s-like-let-s-go-out-and-party-and/) [Claudia Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-lee/) > [Im not the type of artist thats like, Lets go out and party and dance your life away! I think those artists are so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudia-lee/im-not-the-type-of-artist-thats-like-lets-go-out-and-party-and-dance/) [Claudia Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudia-lee/) > [I'm sure that the meaning of the songs that I've written will change for me over the years, the same way that I can't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angel-olsen/i-m-sure-that-the-meaning-of-the-songs-that-i-ve-written-will-change/) [Angel Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angel-olsen/) > [Normally the meaning of the songs, if there is any, occurs to me after I've written the song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-lucia/normally-the-meaning-of-the-songs-if-there-is-any-occurs-to-me-after/) [St. Lucia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-lucia/) > [“I know a song about him. But I thought he lived a hundred years ago. We all did. Once I was as young as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/i-know-a-song-about-him-but-i-thought-he-lived-a-hundred-years-ago-we/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [So 'Heaven On My Mind' is a song I would never have thought about writing. But I really loved the concept knowing there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becky-hill/so-heaven-on-my-mind-is-a-song-i-would-never-have-thought-about/) [Becky Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becky-hill/) > [When I start a song, it's the first thought. It's the first thought and the first cadence, because that's the most natural.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pusha-t/when-i-start-a-song-it-s-the-first-thought-it-s-the-first-thought-and/) [Pusha T](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pusha-t/) > [The grandeur of man lies in song, not in thought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-mauriac/the-grandeur-of-man-lies-in-song-not-in-thought/) [Francois Mauriac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-mauriac/) > [When I'm struck by things, I want to hear more and find out more. I remember when Lana Del Rey was on 'SNL,' this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/when-i-m-struck-by-things-i-want-to-hear-more-and-find-out-more-i/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) ## More by Thomas Rhett > [If you watch home videos, at 4 years old, I was doing nothing but being the entertainer. Singing 'Boot Scootin' Boogie' in the living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-rhett/if-you-watch-home-videos-at-4-years-old-i-was-doing-nothing-but-being/) [Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) > [You definitely get the answer 'no' more times in this business than you do 'yes.' It's what you do with those 'nos' that makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-rhett/you-definitely-get-the-answer-no-more-times-in-this-business-than-you/) [Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) > [Writing songs has always been my first and foremost love, and, you know, whether I continue to have success as an artist or not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-rhett/writing-songs-has-always-been-my-first-and-foremost-love-and-you-know/) [Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) > [Any time you're nominated for anything, it's a true blessing and something you should be really excited about, but it's sort of time to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-rhett/any-time-you-re-nominated-for-anything-it-s-a-true-blessing-and/) [Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) > [I played in a punk rock band in high school called the High Heel Flip Flops. I was the drummer. I played drums for,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-rhett/i-played-in-a-punk-rock-band-in-high-school-called-the-high-heel-flip/) [Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) > [Growing up, as much as country was a big influence in my life, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles and Led Zeppelin were such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-rhett/growing-up-as-much-as-country-was-a-big-influence-in-my-life-the/) [Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) > [It is completely a God thing that I am here today because for the first 17 years of my life, I never thought I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-rhett/it-is-completely-a-god-thing-that-i-am-here-today-because-for-the/) [Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) > [As a kid, I dreamed of being nominated for a Grammy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-rhett/as-a-kid-i-dreamed-of-being-nominated-for-a-grammy/) [Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) > [To record an album and stick to one specific style isn't really my thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-rhett/to-record-an-album-and-stick-to-one-specific-style-isn-t-really-my/) [Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) > [Yeah it starts with a smile and it ends with an all night long slow kiss~Thomas Rhett(:](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-rhett/yeah-it-starts-with-a-smile-and-it-ends-with-an-all-night-long-slow/) [Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) > [My position on Speedos changes depending on the country that I'm in. If you're in Europe, it's definitely acceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-rhett/my-position-on-speedos-changes-depending-on-the-country-that-i-m-in/) [Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) > [Everybody besides my piano player has been with me since the very first day. We were a four-piece band for a solid two years.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-rhett/everybody-besides-my-piano-player-has-been-with-me-since-the-very/) [Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) > [I'm a huge fan of Drake. Anything he puts out is great to work out to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-rhett/i-m-a-huge-fan-of-drake-anything-he-puts-out-is-great-to-work-out-to/) [Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) > [I hate negativity in general. We, as artists, we pour so much into our music and put out something we believe in... it sucks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-rhett/i-hate-negativity-in-general-we-as-artists-we-pour-so-much-into-our/) [Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) > [When you write a hit song, and you know it when it's done, it's one of the best feelings in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-rhett/when-you-write-a-hit-song-and-you-know-it-when-it-s-done-it-s-one-of/) [Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) [Explore all 63 Thomas Rhett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) ## More Finish quotes > [My first Olympics memory was watching Haile Gebrselassie in Sydney 2000. His sprint finish to defend his title really moved me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-farah/my-first-olympics-memory-was-watching-haile-gebrselassie-in-sydney/) [Mo Farah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-farah/) > [Children should finish school and even go to college if they can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-fuller/children-should-finish-school-and-even-go-to-college-if-they-can/) [Robert Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-fuller/) > [Every Finish Line is the beginning of a new race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-finish-line-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-race/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“It doesn't matter where you start but how you finish that matters!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-irick-rainford/it-doesn-t-matter-where-you-start-but-how-you-finish-that-matters/) [Valerie Irick Rainford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-irick-rainford/) > [Whenever I finish a film, I feel that this is the worst film that I have made. This is bound to happen because while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajkumar-hirani/whenever-i-finish-a-film-i-feel-that-this-is-the-worst-film-that-i/) [Rajkumar Hirani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajkumar-hirani/) > [When I finish my career, I can look back and then decide if it was good or not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-henderson/when-i-finish-my-career-i-can-look-back-and-then-decide-if-it-was/) [Jordan Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-henderson/) > [I've enjoyed my time at every club I have worked at, I've been lucky, but I won't jump in and finish up working with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-redknapp/i-ve-enjoyed-my-time-at-every-club-i-have-worked-at-i-ve-been-lucky/) [Harry Redknapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-redknapp/) > [“Do it well, finish it properly, and move on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eunice-kennedy-shriver/do-it-well-finish-it-properly-and-move-on/) [Eunice Kennedy Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eunice-kennedy-shriver/) > [Not everyone who started with you will finish with you. Be willing to go without them if you have to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-gaskins/not-everyone-who-started-with-you-will-finish-with-you-be-willing-to/) [Tony Gaskins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-gaskins/) > [Finish what you're writing. Whatever you have to do to finish it, finish it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/finish-what-you-re-writing-whatever-you-have-to-do-to-finish-it/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [Call me old-fashioned, but it's always been my firm belief that a teacher's job should be for each of his or her students to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-crowder/call-me-old-fashioned-but-it-s-always-been-my-firm-belief-that-a/) [Steven Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-crowder/) > [If it is possible I want to finish my career at Manchester United.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/park-ji-sung/if-it-is-possible-i-want-to-finish-my-career-at-manchester-united/) [Park Ji-sung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/park-ji-sung/) > [A lot of times, you finish a movie, and you're either going, 'Oh, thank God, that's over,' or 'Oh, my God, it's over, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wyck-godfrey/a-lot-of-times-you-finish-a-movie-and-you-re-either-going-oh-thank/) [Wyck Godfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wyck-godfrey/) > [I used to review games on 'The Totally Rad Show,' and the best thing about that was I would finish games. Now, it's become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-trachtenberg/i-used-to-review-games-on-the-totally-rad-show-and-the-best-thing/) [Dan Trachtenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-trachtenberg/) > [“Winners run through the finish line. End your day with passion and enthusiasm.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-bellah/winners-run-through-the-finish-line-end-your-day-with-passion-and/) [Butch Bellah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-bellah/) [Browse all 1,526 Finish quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finish/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you finish a song, your first thought is going to be, 'Is this song a hit?' 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