--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think, in America, for a long time you…" description: "\"I think, in America, for a long time you had groups that wanted to be stars more than they wanted to make music.\" — Tom Petty" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1a/tom-petty-2030_america_i-think-in-america-for-a-long-time-you-h_2872177.png" --- # I think, in America, for a long time you had groups that… ![“I think, in America, for a long time you had groups that wanted to be stars more than they wanted to make music.” quote by Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1a/tom-petty-2030_america_i-think-in-america-for-a-long-time-you-h_2872177.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1a/tom-petty-2030_america_i-think-in-america-for-a-long-time-you-h_2872177.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1a/tom-petty-2030_america_i-think-in-america-for-a-long-time-you-h_2872177.png) > “I think, in America, for a long time you had groups that wanted to be stars more than they wanted to make music.” [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In America, groups prioritized stardom over music creation. **In simple terms:** Stars valued over music. Key Takeaway Prioritize artistic integrity over fame. Themes music industry celebrity authenticity Mood reflective critical Type cultural inspirational When to use this quote - career choices - creative integrity - industry pressure - public perception Key Concepts Cultural critique artist motivation Questions to Reflect On - How does fame affect artistic output? - Can stardom coexist with genuine music? A Different Perspective Fame can fund artistic work. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stars/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Television remains an incredible tool when it comes to ensure the best promo, but one thing was always clear to me, I didn't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-rowland/television-remains-an-incredible-tool-when-it-comes-to-ensure-the/) [Kelly Rowland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-rowland/) > [I was sympathetic to virtually all groups that wanted to get away from the old system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/i-was-sympathetic-to-virtually-all-groups-that-wanted-to-get-away/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [I never wanted the stars, never shot for the moon, I like them right where they are... all I wanted was you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jas-rob/i-never-wanted-the-stars-never-shot-for-the-moon-i-like-them-right/) Jas&rob > [“She did not want Fairyland to be full of older girls who wanted to be stars.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherynne-m-valente/she-did-not-want-fairyland-to-be-full-of-older-girls-who-wanted-to-be/) [Catherynne M. Valente](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherynne-m-valente/) > [“The stars are not wanted now: put out every one; Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun; Pour away the ocean and sweep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden-2/the-stars-are-not-wanted-now-put-out-every-one-pack-up-the-moon-and/) [W.H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden-2/) > [Rock stars wanted to date the models, the trendsetters, the tastemakers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bebe-buell/rock-stars-wanted-to-date-the-models-the-trendsetters-the-tastemakers/) [Bebe Buell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bebe-buell/) > [“The Stars Are Not Wanted but the Sky Will Submit”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-young/the-stars-are-not-wanted-but-the-sky-will-submit/) [Samantha Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-young/) > [Hunger has been a struggle in America for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/weston-mckennie/hunger-has-been-a-struggle-in-america-for-a-long-time/) [Weston McKennie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/weston-mckennie/) > [In America, we have long stood by the principle that the protections of the law are not meant just for some.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-maloney/in-america-we-have-long-stood-by-the-principle-that-the-protections/) [Carolyn Maloney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-maloney/) > [Despite our best efforts and our highest hopes, America's long struggle with race is far from finished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/despite-our-best-efforts-and-our-highest-hopes-america-s-long/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“So is America over? A long time ago we "lost" China, we've lost Southeast Asia, we've lost South America. Maybe we'll lose the Middle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/so-is-america-over-a-long-time-ago-we-lost-china-we-ve-lost-southeast/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“The history of whiteness in America is one long scroll of affirmative action.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-eric-dyson/the-history-of-whiteness-in-america-is-one-long-scroll-of-affirmative/) [Michael Eric Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-eric-dyson/) > [America has long stood before the world as an exceptional country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/america-has-long-stood-before-the-world-as-an-exceptional-country/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [America has long been the land of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/america-has-long-been-the-land-of-immigrants/) [Cathy McMorris Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cathy-mcmorris-rodgers/) > [How are we to write The Russian novel in America As long as life goes so unterribly?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-frost/how-are-we-to-write-the-russian-novel-in-america-as-long-as-life-goes/) [Robert Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-frost/) ## More by Tom Petty > [Where the sky begins, the horizon ends, despite the best intentions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/where-the-sky-begins-the-horizon-ends-despite-the-best-intentions/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [As time goes by, you seem to weed out the things that were making your life hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/as-time-goes-by-you-seem-to-weed-out-the-things-that-were-making-your/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [I would never put my songs in a commercial.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/i-would-never-put-my-songs-in-a-commercial/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [Take back your insurance, baby, nothing is guaranteed. Take back your acid rain, let your TV bleed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/take-back-your-insurance-baby-nothing-is-guaranteed-take-back-your/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [The great thing about the Wilburys was that none of us had to take the heat by ourselves. I was just a member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/the-great-thing-about-the-wilburys-was-that-none-of-us-had-to-take/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [I don't believe in censorship, but I do believe that an artist has to take some moral responsibility for what he or she is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/i-don-t-believe-in-censorship-but-i-do-believe-that-an-artist-has-to/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [Any time you're making a living at what you love to do, you're blessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/any-time-you-re-making-a-living-at-what-you-love-to-do-you-re-blessed/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [A rebel without a clue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/a-rebel-without-a-clue/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [If you look around at America, that's one of its biggest problems is you have corporations that can never be pleased at a profit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/if-you-look-around-at-america-that-s-one-of-its-biggest-problems-is/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) > [Even the losers get lucky sometimes. Even the losers keep a little bit of pride. 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I've refined what I do for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-petty/i-m-more-interested-in-what-i-m-going-to-leave-behind-me-than-in/) [Tom Petty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) [Explore all 190 Tom Petty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-petty/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... 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Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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