--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Of course, music is an art form, and it's…" description: "\"Of course, music is an art form, and it's not all that competitive. But we don't ever intend to be the second-best band on a stage at any show.\" — Tom ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efc/tom-morello-5390_art_of-course-music-is-an-art-form-and-it-s_2591673.jpg" --- # Of course, music is an art form, and it's not all that… ![“Of course, music is an art form, and it's not all that competitive. But we don't ever intend to be the second-best band on a stage at any show.” quote by Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efc/tom-morello-5390_art_of-course-music-is-an-art-form-and-it-s_2591673.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efc/tom-morello-5390_art_of-course-music-is-an-art-form-and-it-s_2591673.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efc/tom-morello-5390_art_of-course-music-is-an-art-form-and-it-s_2591673.jpg) > “Of course, music is an art form, and it's not all that competitive. But we don't ever intend to be the second-best band on a stage at any show.” [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Music should be expressive, not a competition for second place. **In simple terms:** Music is about expression, not competition. Key Takeaway Focus on authentic expression. Themes music expression competition Mood determined passionate Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - band rehearsals - solo projects - music education Key Concepts artistic integrity performance Questions to Reflect On - How do you measure success beyond rankings? - What does “second‑best” mean to you? A Different Perspective Competition can drive improvement and innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Art form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art-form/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music making](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-making/) [Second best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/second-best/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) ## Related quotes > [At The Verve's first-ever gig, I said that we were gonna blow this local band off the stage. It was only in the local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ashcroft/at-the-verve-s-first-ever-gig-i-said-that-we-were-gonna-blow-this/) [Richard Ashcroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ashcroft/) > [It's important me as a musician and also as an occasional show goer to feel the presence of a band on stage, to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-bannon/it-s-important-me-as-a-musician-and-also-as-an-occasional-show-goer/) [Jacob Bannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-bannon/) > [I have a great time with my band and on the stage we get along well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-kravitz/i-have-a-great-time-with-my-band-and-on-the-stage-we-get-along-well/) [Lenny Kravitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-kravitz/) > [The band we have now on stage is the band I always wanted to be in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-young/the-band-we-have-now-on-stage-is-the-band-i-always-wanted-to-be-in/) [James Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-young/) > [Music is an art form that I love dearly, and it's allowed me to bring so many people together and meet so many people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-monae/music-is-an-art-form-that-i-love-dearly-and-it-s-allowed-me-to-bring/) [Janelle Monae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-monae/) > [I'm realistic about my age and realistic about the fact that there's an awful lot less in front of me than there is behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-daltrey/i-m-realistic-about-my-age-and-realistic-about-the-fact-that-there-s/) [Roger Daltrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-daltrey/) > [In Africa, music is not an art form as much as it is a means of communication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-reid/in-africa-music-is-not-an-art-form-as-much-as-it-is-a-means-of/) [Vernon Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-reid/) > [Music is one of those art forms that you can get pretty immediate feedback by just doing it and getting better at it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-valensi/music-is-one-of-those-art-forms-that-you-can-get-pretty-immediate/) [Nick Valensi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-valensi/) > [I've always felt that music is an art form that deserves to live the life of the artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-daltrey/i-ve-always-felt-that-music-is-an-art-form-that-deserves-to-live-the/) [Roger Daltrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-daltrey/) > [Music is an art form too. Sometimes other forms of art can be inspiring to the musician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-hill/music-is-an-art-form-too-sometimes-other-forms-of-art-can-be/) [Ken Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-hill/) > [I really have a lot of respect for music, the art form of music. It's my whole life. I don't care about any of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-james/i-really-have-a-lot-of-respect-for-music-the-art-form-of-music-it-s/) [Jim James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-james/) > [Music is the art of sounds in the movement of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferruccio-busoni/music-is-the-art-of-sounds-in-the-movement-of-time/) [Ferruccio Busoni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferruccio-busoni/) > [I could turn on my radio in the morning when I was getting dressed for school and hear Frank Sinatra and Duke Ellington and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/i-could-turn-on-my-radio-in-the-morning-when-i-was-getting-dressed/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) > [Music is the art which is most nigh to tears and memories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/music-is-the-art-which-is-most-nigh-to-tears-and-memories/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I know I'm in the best band in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-flint/i-know-i-m-in-the-best-band-in-the-world/) [Keith Flint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-flint/) ## More by Tom Morello > [Music and the arts feed our souls, but a decent wage puts food on the table. Musicians, fans of music, and grassroots political organizations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/music-and-the-arts-feed-our-souls-but-a-decent-wage-puts-food-on-the/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) > [Poverty is curable, but it’s just not done, because it's not profitable. And that is the kind of violence that's perpetuated on humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/poverty-is-curable-but-it-s-just-not-done-because-it-s-not-profitable/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) > [In America, we have freedom of choice. But some are free to choose between Lamborghini and Rolls Royce while others are free to choose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/in-america-we-have-freedom-of-choice-but-some-are-free-to-choose/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) > [The reason why many young people in the Vietnam War era were active was their lives were threatened by the draft and they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/the-reason-why-many-young-people-in-the-vietnam-war-era-were-active/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) > [Well, I don't care for Paul Ryan's sound or his lyrics. He can like whatever bands he wants, but his guiding vision of shifting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/well-i-don-t-care-for-paul-ryan-s-sound-or-his-lyrics-he-can-like/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) > [I think it's crucially important to be present in the lives of your children. They are my most important cause that I fight for.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/i-think-it-s-crucially-important-to-be-present-in-the-lives-of-your/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) > [Charles Manson loved the Beatles but didn’t understand them. Governor Chris Christie loves Bruce Springsteen but doesn’t understand him. And Paul Ryan is clueless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/charles-manson-loved-the-beatles-but-didn-t-understand-them-governor/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) > [I literally integrated the small town of Libertyville, Illinois. I was the first person of color to reside within its borders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/i-literally-integrated-the-small-town-of-libertyville-illinois-i-was/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) > [As a guitar player, I've been influenced by dance music - it was Crystal Method and The Prodigy back in the day. I would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/as-a-guitar-player-i-ve-been-influenced-by-dance-music-it-was-crystal/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) > [I have another name for what they're terming whistleblowers, and that's righteous heroes. From Bradley Manning to Snowden. They're people of conscience who are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/i-have-another-name-for-what-they-re-terming-whistleblowers-and-that/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) > [I'd say that one area where my political views have remained unchanged is that, I am opposed to the government spying on everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/i-d-say-that-one-area-where-my-political-views-have-remained/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) > [Racism is a problem, economic inequality is a problem, not enough rock n' roll on the radio is a problem. But all those problems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/racism-is-a-problem-economic-inequality-is-a-problem-not-enough-rock/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) > [I grew up on misogynist, devil-worshipping heavy metal music, and then it was groups like The Clash and Public Enemy that reminded me that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/i-grew-up-on-misogynist-devil-worshipping-heavy-metal-music-and-then/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) > [Being a musician is a given for me-I didn't have much choice in the matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/being-a-musician-is-a-given-for-me-i-didn-t-have-much-choice-in-the/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) > [Unity and resistance is a strong American trait.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/unity-and-resistance-is-a-strong-american-trait/) [Tom Morello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) [Explore all 101 Tom Morello quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/) ## More Art quotes > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/) [Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/) > [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/) [Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/) > [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) > [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/) [Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/) > [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/) Taf Teh > [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/) [Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/) > [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/) [Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/) [G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/) > [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/) [Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/) > [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/) [Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/) > [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) [Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Of course, music is an art form, and it's not all that competitive. But we don't ever intend to be the second-best band on a stage at any show.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Morello" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/of-course-music-is-an-art-form-and-it-s-not-all-that-competitive-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Art" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/of-course-music-is-an-art-form-and-it-s-not-all-that-competitive-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efc/tom-morello-5390_art_of-course-music-is-an-art-form-and-it-s_2591673.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efc/tom-morello-5390_art_of-course-music-is-an-art-form-and-it-s_2591673.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/efc/tom-morello-5390_art_of-course-music-is-an-art-form-and-it-s_2591673.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Of course, music is an art form, and it's not all that competitive. But we don't ever intend to be the…” — Tom Morello", "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": "Tom Morello", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-morello/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Of course, music is an art...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/of-course-music-is-an-art-form-and-it-s-not-all-that-competitive-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-morello/of-course-music-is-an-art-form-and-it-s-not-all-that-competitive-but/#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 } } ] } ```