Walter Becker Quotes

There's no difference in a lot of people's minds between good musicians and popular musicians.

I have a love-hate relationship with the Grammys because I don't see the music world as a competitive sport.

Books don't live and die by awards. You don't listen to an Hector Lavoe album because it won some awards.

I am one of the biggest Laura Nyro fans. I still listen to that stuff incessantly. Laura Nyro does not belong in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Songwriter Hall of Fame? Absolutely.

Many people don't know that all Grammy awards are not created equal. An unspoken hierarchy exists in many circles, and some categories are more respected than others.

The music that is played on the radio all the time or written about in magazines has nothing to do with musicianship.

Musicians don't respect a lot of the stuff that is on TRL and a lot of musicians think that stuff on the radio is not good musically so when musicians say that they like us it obviously feels good.

The average music-lover hears only the production under prevailing conditions.

At the end of the day, the Grammys are about recognizing genres that are making an impact.

Rock n' roll is dying because people became OK with Nickelback being the biggest band in the world.

There is so much good music in the U.S. and there is just a small section that gets recognised at the Grammys.

There are a lot of artists that come and go very quickly, and I understand why just because someone has a No. 1 doesn't necessarily mean they should be up for best male or female categories. I understand that Aria are protecting the integrity of what Aria is, but I do think that pop music isn't recognised enough.

Adele's amazing, I think the world of her and her music and I think Tinie Tempah is cool. To work with someone like Kanye West would be awesome.

I don't know why I keep saying this, and I don't know why I keep using their names... And I'm not dogging them. I'm not slandering them. I'm not saying they are bad musicians. But how can Taylor Swift or Justin Timberlake win for R&B and funk? They are pop singers.

I preferred MTV as it used to be when it was about the music - I don't like it that now they just have reality shows. Reality TV rots people's brains.

I'm one of those firm believers that good music will prevail.

I'm a genuine lover of music. I've always watched the Grammys from home.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame traditionally has had a management style that is very supportive of American talent, first and foremost, over everything else. And I think that's right and proper.

I feel like B sides are always better, no matter whose record it is.

Music is the one part of the entertainment business where you can't fool anybody into buying a record.

When you look at what people consider success in the music industry, it's just terrible music.

I'm not a big fan of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It's just a personal thing, not an ego thing.

There's so much excellent new music around that I can't afford to buy it all and I haven't the time to review as much as I'd like. I can't remember a better time to be a musician or to listen to music!

Nothing wrong with pop!

When I first started all this, it was mostly music fans that came along, Stones fans. But now, I'm being taken seriously. I've got highfalutin' art collectors and everything!