--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you're not successful as a musician…" description: "\"When you're not successful as a musician, you are oftentimes unemployed.\" — Tobias Forge" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/tobias-forge-6470_music_when-you-re-not-successful-as-a-musician_2352463.jpg" --- # When you're not successful as a musician, you are… ![“When you're not successful as a musician, you are oftentimes unemployed.” quote by Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/tobias-forge-6470_music_when-you-re-not-successful-as-a-musician_2352463.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/tobias-forge-6470_music_when-you-re-not-successful-as-a-musician_2352463.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/tobias-forge-6470_music_when-you-re-not-successful-as-a-musician_2352463.jpg) > “When you're not successful as a musician, you are oftentimes unemployed.” [Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Musicians often face unemployment when lacking success, highlighting industry instability. **In simple terms:** Unsuccessful musicians may be jobless. Key Takeaway Plan diverse income streams beyond performance. Themes music industry employment creativity uncertainty career Mood pragmatic encouraging Type career economic When to use this quote - touring - teaching - session work - licensing Key Concepts economics of art gig economy career resilience Questions to Reflect On - How can artists sustain themselves? - What alternatives exist to performance? A Different Perspective Not all musicians experience this equally. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Musician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/musician/) [Unemployed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unemployed/) ## Related quotes > [ Obviously, \[Wham!\] made me a lot more comfortable as a musician. I was very confident that I would become a successful musician, but I… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/obviously-wham-made-me-a-lot-more-comfortable-as-a-musician-i-was/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [You gotta pick yourself up. Sometimes you just gotta do it over and over, but you gotta do it. You can't give up. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-adler/you-gotta-pick-yourself-up-sometimes-you-just-gotta-do-it-over-and/) [Steven Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-adler/) > [I realized that I don't like touring. I'll never complain about it because no one wants to hear about a relatively successful musician complain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/i-realized-that-i-don-t-like-touring-i-ll-never-complain-about-it/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [Growing up listening to rap music, you almost feel like you should have haters. That's an important part of being a successful musician. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ezra-koenig/growing-up-listening-to-rap-music-you-almost-feel-like-you-should/) [Ezra Koenig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ezra-koenig/) > [What costs the world to you as a working kid fresh out of college costs nothing to you as a successful musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-eazy/what-costs-the-world-to-you-as-a-working-kid-fresh-out-of-college/) [G-Eazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-eazy/) > [I think one of the reasons I'm successful as a musician is that the first like 30 shows I played, I played with no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grimes/i-think-one-of-the-reasons-i-m-successful-as-a-musician-is-that-the/) [Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grimes/) > [I used to believe that if I could do certain things - write a book or be a successful musician - that I'd be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/i-used-to-believe-that-if-i-could-do-certain-things-write-a-book-or/) [Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/) > [No, I've heard over the years that it's nice for them to see somebody who's like, you know, a well-known successful musician who's Asian.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-iha/no-i-ve-heard-over-the-years-that-it-s-nice-for-them-to-see-somebody/) [James Iha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-iha/) > [I realized, that the life of a musician, even of a very lucky, very successful musician, wasn't really the life I wanted: I hate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-greenwell/i-realized-that-the-life-of-a-musician-even-of-a-very-lucky-very/) [Garth Greenwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-greenwell/) > [The fact I had my father as an adversary was such a powerful tool to work with. I subconsciously fought him to the degree…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/the-fact-i-had-my-father-as-an-adversary-was-such-a-powerful-tool-to/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [I have a lot of successful musician pals, and as I get older, I find that I'm lucky to be a writer. I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/i-have-a-lot-of-successful-musician-pals-and-as-i-get-older-i-find/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [Before the 20th century, to be a successful musician was merely to be one who was employed. A few, such as Liszt, Paderewski and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/before-the-20th-century-to-be-a-successful-musician-was-merely-to-be/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I wanted to do this so badly, to be a successful musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-5/i-wanted-to-do-this-so-badly-to-be-a-successful-musician/) [John 5](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-5/) > [But you know the thing that I thing oftentimes gets ignored and neglected is there was 10 or 12 years of life before I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-gill/but-you-know-the-thing-that-i-thing-oftentimes-gets-ignored-and/) [Vince Gill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-gill/) > [If you think about people's lives, you think about what's significant. And the things I find significant in my life are not the moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-wang/if-you-think-about-people-s-lives-you-think-about-what-s-significant/) [Patrick Wang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-wang/) ## More by Tobias Forge > [Even in my hometown of Linkoping where I grew up... the church we had was very lavish - very boasty. So it ticked most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/even-in-my-hometown-of-linkoping-where-i-grew-up-the-church-we-had/) [Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) > [I like horror movies that have a degree of coziness to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/i-like-horror-movies-that-have-a-degree-of-coziness-to-them/) [Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) > [Even though I like speaking freely, I don't really have a desire anymore to profile myself as the individual wanting to be recognized.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/even-though-i-like-speaking-freely-i-don-t-really-have-a-desire/) [Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) > ['Dance Macabre' feels like one of those songs that you want to play forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/dance-macabre-feels-like-one-of-those-songs-that-you-want-to-play/) [Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) > [As a young teen, Satan and the idea of some sort of world that you could be in touch with that could empower you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/as-a-young-teen-satan-and-the-idea-of-some-sort-of-world-that-you/) [Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) > [By sheer luck, we did our first tour of America as a headlining act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/by-sheer-luck-we-did-our-first-tour-of-america-as-a-headlining-act/) [Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) > [The original idea of being anonymous - it was a great, naive idea on paper in 2008, not knowing to what degree we'd be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/the-original-idea-of-being-anonymous-it-was-a-great-naive-idea-on/) [Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) > [So many people have opinions based not on fact but spite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/so-many-people-have-opinions-based-not-on-fact-but-spite/) [Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) > [There are many artists that I know exactly where they are born and what their names are and where they live, which are still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/there-are-many-artists-that-i-know-exactly-where-they-are-born-and/) [Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) > [I don't want to do Ghost as a normal, unmasked band standing around in, like, denim jackets. That was never the plan, regardless of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/i-don-t-want-to-do-ghost-as-a-normal-unmasked-band-standing-around-in/) [Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) > [I wasn't letting people in with the music writing process, and for a long time, I thought I was hard to work with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/i-wasn-t-letting-people-in-with-the-music-writing-process-and-for-a/) [Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) > [I'm a big fan of a lot of prog music. As a record collector as well, I won't throw anybody or any band under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/i-m-a-big-fan-of-a-lot-of-prog-music-as-a-record-collector-as-well-i/) [Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) > [I have a fascination for well-produced '70s and '80s rock with a lot of harmonies. AOR bands like Journey, Jefferson Starship, Toto, Kansas, Boston.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/i-have-a-fascination-for-well-produced-70s-and-80s-rock-with-a-lot-of/) [Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) > [At the end of the day, one of the biggest misconceptions of Ghost is that it's just about the devil. It's always been about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/at-the-end-of-the-day-one-of-the-biggest-misconceptions-of-ghost-is/) [Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) > [We've gone from venues that hold 500 up to 3,000 on our own, so I guess we're not entirely unknown. But there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/we-ve-gone-from-venues-that-hold-500-up-to-3-000-on-our-own-so-i/) [Tobias Forge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) [Explore all 99 Tobias Forge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/) ## 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 > [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 > [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": "When you're not successful as a musician, you are oftentimes unemployed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tobias Forge" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/when-you-re-not-successful-as-a-musician-you-are-oftentimes-unemployed/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Music" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/when-you-re-not-successful-as-a-musician-you-are-oftentimes-unemployed/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/tobias-forge-6470_music_when-you-re-not-successful-as-a-musician_2352463.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/tobias-forge-6470_music_when-you-re-not-successful-as-a-musician_2352463.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e7c/tobias-forge-6470_music_when-you-re-not-successful-as-a-musician_2352463.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you're not successful as a musician, you are oftentimes unemployed.” — Tobias Forge", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Tobias Forge", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tobias-forge/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you're not successful as a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/when-you-re-not-successful-as-a-musician-you-are-oftentimes-unemployed/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tobias-forge/when-you-re-not-successful-as-a-musician-you-are-oftentimes-unemployed/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```