Moby Quotes

I'm not interested in artistic records for the sake of making artistic records where they're so cool no one listens to them.

I mean, I think about it, but I don't design my record to get a certain public response.

Yeah, we're definitely not opposed to working with famous vocalists, but we really want to make sure that it's all about the sound of the voice and how appropriate it is for the song, and not kind of 'getting together with people just for the sake of it' kind of thing.

I honestly think I could sit down and write a show tonight that the critics would love, and I know it would be canceled within four weeks. I know what the critics love. We write and produce for people, not for critics.

Do not let any record company disturb your creative flow. You are not writing for the record company. You're writing for the public.

I don't really look at the charts at all. If anything, I try to out-do what I've done before. I try to make music that I like and I trust my own judgement with what will work with a wider audience. If you compare yourself to the charts, you lose perspective on what you're doing and why you're doing it.

Those two songs condense the two albums. They also show what the audiences wanted. I was desperate to keep the band together and find something that the public would like.

A lot of bad music sells a million copies; I don't think it's a good litmus test for whether things are going well.

No one told me I had to make something that would sell, but I personally want everyone to like my music.

And frankly, when I made that record, hit songs were not what I was trying to achieve.

I don't like working with hitmakers. I don't want hits! You're not even allowed to say that word around me.

I have cut four albums so far, and all of them have been trendsetters and commercially successful. I believe that once you start taking art in commercial terms, it ceases to be art.

I believe that music is about making quality things, making quality art, and no matter who you decide to work with, you and that person have to come up with something special, come up with something that is excellent material, so whoever hears it and reviews it will like it.

If the choice is between doing something supercool and having no one hear it and doing something equally cool and tricking people into putting it on the radio, I don't think the second option is some big sellout.

I like the idea that people hear my stuff, and if it's commercially successful, that's a good sign that it's being heard.

There's a great difference between being popular and being an artist.

Art should never try to be popular. The public should try to make itself artistic.

All through the kind of late '80s and '90s, every A&R record company man was saying, 'Now what we want is another record like 'Back in the High Life.' And, of course, that's not the way to make music at all. That's the tail wagging the dog.

People send me songs all the time that are literally no-brainer hits... but for me, I'm an artist because I'm a writer.

If you do a brilliant work and if the audience don't like it, what's the point.

I don't think you're selling out by allowing the masses to love your art. The only curse is that, when you get so big, sometimes people forget to look at the music.

I wrote 'Don't Stop' just like I wrote 'Pumped Up Kicks' - I didn't try to make either a hit. I just wanted to write a song I liked.

If the entire product is good, then no matter what the language of the film is, people will love it.

I'm used to people not getting it. I'll make amazing music, but it's convincing people that it's amazing - that's the problem.

If someone makes a supernatural-themed show, and it becomes the best show, you are only making money and becoming famous. You are not learning anything from it. It's pure entertainment, even if the content is regressive.