Jens Lekman Quotes

The pop world has really opened its doors.

Metal is still the biggest music now in America.

I don't see a Spanish song being No. 1 on the Hot 100. I mean, if it happens, fantastic. But I don't think it will.

I think Korea is so focused on just the charts, and what's going to chart and what's not, and I'm sure it's like that way in the States as well, to a certain degree. But I enjoy working in the States a little bit more. Because it's more about making music that is the right sound and the right fit to me, not so much just chasing the charts.

If you look at the charts every year, there may be five or ten memorable songs from each year.

Obviously Hall & Oates wasn't overlooked by the masses in terms of the record sales.

In 2010, aside from that niche of music that I have no interest in - Black Eyed Peas territory, disposable pop stuff - there's almost an incentive to go back to making music as adventurous and groundbreaking as you can, because nobody gets a big hit anymore.

In England, rock music very rarely infiltrates the charts, but country music even less so.

There are plenty of bands who never get in the charts and it doesn't mean that they're not any good. Actually, a lot of the top ten is filled with stuff that just sounds the same. I could guess what's in there now - probably a bit of GaGa, Beyonce and some U.S. R&B males.

Superficial pop will always exist - there've always been Fabians - but when people like Dire Straits and Bruce Hornsby start having hits, it suggests that there's a revolution going on in music.

Dance music is Madonna's base. It's what she likes, it's what she listens to. It's not anything other than that. She doesn't read what's on the charts. And if it's on time, great. This is who she is.

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

Watch MTV and you can see what the music scene is like in England. The Spice Girls? Not a lot of creativity in the commercial area. There are still great musicians in England, but not a lot being heard that much.

To be honest, I don't want No. 1's anymore. Now, don't get me wrong, I wouldn't mind the odd few, but I'd also like a record going in at eight and staying around.

One of my pet peeves is when people think that pop guys go country when they can't make it in pop anymore.

When I started playing music, people weren't selling 5 million records. That was not the standard; that was not the focus.

We never could have foreseen the success of 'Babel.' It's not like banjo records were soaring up the charts, you know.

Selling a million records used to be a big deal. I guess it's not anymore.

Nowadays, people have an open mind vis-a-vis new artists like Meghan Trainor, Nico & Vinz, Hozier - there are hits coming out of everywhere.

Twenty-five years has been a good run. Boy bands like Boyzone don't get to last this long, usually.

For songs to be big, I don't think there's a certain formula to it.

There's a lot going on in country music, with indie-label hipsters and underground bloggers arguing their interpretations of what country is, and pop-country stars defending themselves. That deserves to be poked fun at.

What Nirvana's success means is that certain radio stations now have their ear more cocked to bands like us; they're more open to playing more stuff.

Well, rock used to be the only game in town in terms of radio and what the kids listen to. Now I think there was a big hip-hop takeover, and pop music, it became mechanical and computer-y.

Social media can sometimes influence the charts, but I think that only great music makes it to the top. The good songs make it.