Impactful Music Quotes

When you listen to most of the records that really had an impact on you, they always seem to be from a different era.

I think the main objective is to move people, make people think in their heart. I personally am not interested in appealing to other musicians. To me, it's more inspiring to move someone who doesn't know anything about music but has a feel.

Whenever you write music, you want it to touch people on a certain level. I mean, I've been reading tweets about 'Troublemaker' and people saying 'OMG, I can so relate to this - this is a guy that I fancy, or a girl that I fancy; it's exactly like this person.'

Music should come crashing out of your speakers and grab you, and the lyrics should challenge whatever preconceived notions that listener has.

This thing that I do with caring about the message in my music, it's not separate from my work as a commercial artist; they're totally one and the same. I'm always going to be thinking about what my voice means.

A good album can make your day. A great album can change your life.

It was the beginning of our second career. We certainly had a full career - 15 years at it - before it came out, but 'Eliminator' had a tremendous impact on us and the people who listen to us.

We think it's a blessing that we were able to bring our music to the world. That our music has not only inspired our communities but other communities. That's one of the greatest things an artist in any field could know: that you've touched the mind of another artist.

It's fun having songs about parties and gigolos, but I really wanted to use my music as a form of art. Art is supposed to spark conversation and make people think, and I wanted to do that with this song.

I like to be dramatic in my music because that's when it gets to your heart.

I no longer wanted to satisfy myself. I really want to connect with the world and make my music mean something to people.

The most powerful music is music with purpose.

I was thrilled to support the Teenage Cancer Trust while celebrating the music of The Who - a band that changed my life.

The honor to me has less to do with the award. To me that translates in the relationship that I have with the audience, and if my music is helpful to them, that's the award.

I think one of the greatest compliments I've ever received was when a young kid came backstage at Joe's Pub, when I had the "Bronx In Blue" album out. He said, "What Jimmy Reed did for you, you do for me."

I try to spend a lot of time thinking of what it is I want to say, and how I want to say it. Mainly because I know what it's like as a fan to hear music that is just exactly what I needed.

When I heard Nirvana, it changed my life.

What I have that's special in my music is substance. It's music that people can really relate to. I know I'm gonna rap something that somebody has already been through in their life, something that they will understand.

When I make music, I always try to do more than make a song that makes people dance and have fun. I try to send a message or give a reason for people to discuss it further.

You feel that no matter what's said in the music or how pointed it may get, the most you can wish for is that it plants a few seeds.

I meet so many people that just sort of say, "I want to thank you for your music. It really helped me" or "It changed my life."

For me, the majority of my music is really dark and to the point.

I like to have songs with me that have substance. That's missing from a lot of today's music. You might hear a song with a catchy beat, but what's it about? It's not empowering or helping anyone.

Roger Miller opened a lot of people's eyes to the possibilities of country music, and it's making more impact now because it's earthy material: stories and things that happen to everyday people. I call it 'people music.'

I run an independent company, Knockout Entertainment. We've always come out with records that had a concept that impacted really, really, really hard.