Michael Gracey Quotes

It's a bummer sometimes but I always believe that great bands and great music always prevail.

If you look at Adele, the reason she did so well was she created great music. It wasn't about a clever marketing trick.

You don't really need a lot of hype and to be famous to sell songs.

You don't know how a song is gonna do; you don't know where it's gonna live. You know if it feels real, if it feels authentic.

I just want to work with the big people and the people who make great music.

It has been my dream to feature on Billboard's list, as I always wanted to make music for India that will make to that list. I have always wanted to take Indian music to an international platform someday, even if it is on number 100.

I like aiming for the producers who are hungry. I don't chase the wave.

It's funny, when bands or younger musicians ask me: 'So, what does it take to make it?' Well, first explain to me what you mean by 'making it': Do you want to be a rock star or do you want music to be your livelihood?

To remain relevant though, I think making great records is the key.

I think Lady Gaga is talented. Madonna is talented, and the flair that Michael Jackson had. He was talented! Whatever it is that they do, they must be doing something right. They do have an audience out there, so I respect that.

I don't need a sensationalized headline to sell music or to bring attention to my music. It's the music and it's always been about the music.

I never gave up on that idea, you know, that jazz musicians have the same opportunity as everybody else and that it's what you put on that record that makes the difference whether you sell it or not or are able to get it into people's households.

Put out great music, and that's that.

I think the pop chart today is entirely market-driven. And it has nothing to do with public taste. And it has nothing to do with moving music forward. It's simply a market chart.

At Spotify, we really want you to democratically win as a musician. We want you to win because your music is the best music.

Even an independent label is looking for a hit, they're not looking for a record that's not gonna do well.

I always felt that the music sells by itself. The music has always been the successful aspect on my career, and that means that, to me, I can always still stay very focused on music.

It's hard to come across someone who can look past an artist who is larger and just see them for the talent they are and have them be willing to invest what's necessary to make them a star.

If there is a good musical reason, I think it might draw more attention and sell, though it is not guaranteed. To make a record without a musical reason, you have to either be a pop star who sells automatically or just be lucky.

If I was just a fan of music, I would think that I was the number one artist in the world.

When I put out a record or single I don't allow myself to set up expectations like, 'This song must be a number one hit. Its got to sell X amount of records.'

As I started to consider a career in music, I hoped for success, truthfully. I didn't imagine anything that would amass the level of the first record, but I hoped that I would be able to sustain a career.

What we do is wake up every morning and think about how we get more music out to people; how do we get better music? We breathe, eat, and sleep music.

I think that when you're making your way up in the music industry, you have all these heroes and the reasons why they are your heroes. As soon as you get into the industry, your guidelines change a little bit. For me, my heroes now are great people first and great artists second.

I think the music industry is something that's very separate from music. So, by always staying on the music side of it, I've found success.