Hamsalekha Quotes

Technology has made music ultimately more democratic.

When it comes to music, we live in a very different world than everyone did in the 1960s and 1970s.

My passion is music, you know, and music influences culture, influences lifestyle, which leads me to 'Roc-A-Wear'. I was forced to be an entrepreneur, so that led me to be CEO of 'Roc-A-Fella' records, which lead to Def Jam.

I think as far as the music industry is concerned, it's kind of been the wild, wild West in a way with the Internet, which is not necessarily a bad thing to me.

You can still make music that people love, but there won't be more innovation. I started listening to electronic music a long time ago. But mostly I listen to rap. I think rap is the most interesting.

Sheet music, recording, radio, television, cassettes, CD burners, and file sharing have all invalidated, to some extent, the old model of making a living making music.

Music, in the past few years... anything singable or understandable is square.

Music is changing so quickly, and the landscape of the music industry itself is changing so quickly, that everything new, like Spotify, all feels to me a bit like a grand experiment.

Rock and roll music - people want records. For me, it's the whole thing - the package. I don't get satisfaction from buying an MP3.

I'm one of the people who was a pioneer in encouraging musicians, early in the game, to get interested in technology, and now all the musicians are getting into it.

There's enough music in the world. There are enough rock stars.

I've seen 13, 14-year-olds opening CDs as though they're records from the 1920s, going 'Look at this - there's a little book!'... That makes me think the format has probably had its day.

The difference between me and other people in my generation is instead of saying the Internet's killing the record business, I say, 'Who cares about the record business, the Internet is enhancing music.'

I still like to play the guitar, but I rarely have anything to do with the music business these days. I mean, there is no music business anymore, is there?

The history of the music industry is inevitably also the story of the development of technology. From the player piano to the vinyl disc, from reel-to-reel tape to the cassette, from the CD to the digital download, these formats and devices changed not only the way music was consumed, but the very way artists created it.

For us music is mainly part of the entertainment world and is often a luxury.

Good jazz has been a big part of my life as far as my interest in music, and... It's kind of weird now with music, the way technology is, with downloading and iPods and electronic distribution, and its kind of - you miss something, I think.

Before the 20th century, to be a successful musician was merely to be one who was employed. A few, such as Liszt, Paderewski and several singers, had phenomenally lucrative careers, but they were rare - and Liszt gave all of his money away, travelling by choice in a third-class rail carriage.

My whole life, I've sung and listened to music, and since the beginning, I've had iTunes and used Apple Music for streaming.

I have been working and composing music since 1986. Over the years, I have seen our music industry go through all kinds of transformation.

When The B-52s started in the late '70s, music and the business was totally different. Obviously, it's easier for everyone to be able to work with music, record, and get good quality.

Music's not like becoming a doctor, who can walk into a community and find people who need him.

I can spend the day without writing or reading, but I can't spend a day without listening to music.

I think the Internet is going to open up a lot of possibilities with music, and the shake-up of power is exciting to me.

The point is, technology has empowered so many musicians, you know?