Quotes about American Music

Grammys, American Music Awards, successful albums, I'd pick my kids any day over any of it. Votes: 3

I never set out now to get a Grammy, or get an American Music Award, but it still is nice to be recognized. Votes: 3

Britney and I wore matching denim outfits [to the 2001 American Music Awards]. Yeah, another bad choice. I'd probably pay good money to get some of those pictures off the internet. Votes: 3

I've hosted the Soul Train awards, the American Music Awards... and I had my own talk show. So if I can't host by now, what the hell can I do? Votes: 3

American Music' is an inventive, passionate, pithy novel whose major theme is love itself and whose minor theme, music, is an emotional, meaningful counterpoint. Like Count Basie and His Orchestra, this book swings. Votes: 3

One of the most memorable live performances of my career took place on the 2002 American Music Awards show when I had to the opportunity to sing with Elton John. I was moved by the way he played the piano onstage. Votes: 3

I was chomping at the bit to get my career started - so after I took all the theater courses at Brooklyn College I enrolled in a two year program at AMDA in the city (The American Musical Dramatic Academy) I was there for 6 months and loved it. Votes: 3

I was into playing American music, especially the blues. Votes: 1

I think America concedes that true American music has sprung from the Negro. Votes: 1

It is from the blues that all that may be called American music derives its most distinctive character. Votes: 1

At its best, American music is the soundtrack of our long - and often painful - march toward a more perfect union. Votes: 1

I've never set out consciously to write American music. I don't know what that would be unless the obvious Appalachian folk references. Votes: 1

I grew up with a heavy diet of gospel, folk, and blues because those are kind of the cornerstones of traditional American music. Votes: 1

My general take on American music since 1969 is that it's just getting stiffer and people are getting more uptight - audience, performance, and palace guard. Votes: 1

Louis Armstrong is quite simply the most important person in American music. He is to 20th century music (I did not say jazz) what Einstein is to physics. Votes: 1

I wanna show that gospel, country, blues, rhythm and blues, jazz, rock 'n' roll are all just really one thing. Those are the American music and that is the American culture. Votes: 1

The blues. It runs through all American music. Somebody bending the note. The other is the two-beat groove. It's in New Orleans music, it's in jazz, it's in country music, it's in gospel. Votes: 1

There was always a lot of American music in England until, obviously when the Beatles came around, then there was a shift towards English music, but before then American music was the main thing. Votes: 1

You know, jazz is the mother of all American music. R&B and pop and rap and everything are the branches on the main tree of the life of music, American music, which is jazz. Votes: 1

The standardization of world culture, with local popular or traditional forms driven out or dumbed down to make way for American television, American music, food, clothes and films, has been seen by many as the very heart of globalization. Votes: 1

Hip hop is the new rock n' roll, you know what I mean? And anybody who doesn't think that is just sort of living in the past. It's all just American music, really, when you get right down to it. Votes: 1

I think the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, first of all, has got to be put into the context of being an American cultural showcase. It's there to be a museum showcase of all that's great about American music. Votes: 1

I quite like American music, like The Fray - I'm a massive fan of them - and The Killers. I also like more acoustic stuff like Ed Sheeran; I like this English songwriter James Morrison and another singer called Ben Howard. Votes: 1

To me, country music's about life. It's about Monday through Friday. It's the blue-collar, 40-hour week, songs about life. It used to have more of a sound, but I think the heart of that's still the same. It's still American music. Votes: 1

Since I was a kid, I've had an absolute obsession with particular kinds of American music. Mississippi Delta blues of the Thirties, Chicago blues of the Fifties, West Coast music of the mid-Sixties - but I'd never really touched on dark Americana. Votes: 1

I think that American music, for me, it's a synthesis of a lot of different things. But for me growing up in North Carolina, the stuff that I was listening to, the things that I was hearing, it was all about black music, about soul music. Votes: 1

It's a really unfair world because life is, where I am; all day long we listen to American music. So I don't see why the radios in the U.S. cannot even put aside one hour a day just to play music that is not American. Votes: 1

I grew up with the Blind Boys' music. My family owns a music store in Claremont, California, called The Claremont Folk Music Center. I grew up with a heavy diet of gospel, folk, and blues because those are kind of the cornerstones of traditional American music. Votes: 1

Because the blues is the basis of most American music in the 20th century. It's a 12-bar form that's played by jazz, bluegrass and country musicians. It has a rhythmic vocabulary that's been used by rock n' roll. It's related to spirituals, and even the American fiddle tradition. Votes: 1

Michael Jackson fundamentally altered the terms of the debate about African American music. Remember, he was a chocolate, cherubic-faced genius with an African American halo. He had an Afro halo. He was a kid who was capable of embodying all of the high possibilities and the deep griefs that besieged the African American psyche. Votes: 1

Foreigners have a complex set of associations in their minds when they think of America - from Iraq to 9/11, certainly, but also from Coke to jeans. It is entirely possible for people around the world to love American products, American books, American movies, American music, and dislike the policies of the government of America. Votes: 1

American music culture is black culture. Votes: 0

I don't think there is much American music. Votes: 0

I play American and World music, Texas style. Votes: 0

The American new music scene is remarkably vibrant. Votes: 0

I always thought I was singing American folk music. Votes: 0

Paste may be the last great American music magazine left. Votes: 0

Ray Gomez is truly an unsung hero in American music. Votes: 0

I'd love it if American kids were listening to Muslim music. Votes: 0

Society wants to categorize everything, but to me it's all African-American music. Votes: 0

The '60s were a time of great change in American music. Votes: 0

I like American black soul music, that was my first big enthusiasm. Votes: 0

Irving Berlin has no place in American music -- he is American music. Votes: 0

I think music is one of the hero/sheroes of the African-American existence. Votes: 0

This American Jewish music is a new experience for us at least consciously. Votes: 0

He revolutionized music videos. Before Michael Jackson, MTV refused to play African-American artists. Votes: 0

Michael Jackson fundamentally altered the terms of the debate about African American music. Votes: 0

The blues has been the foundation of all other American music since the beginning. Votes: 0

Country music has become the music that best represents the reality of American life. Votes: 0

Since the age of 12, all my musical thinking has been influenced by Afro-American music. Votes: 0

An American Idol is someone who knows how to change people's lives through music. Votes: 0

I think early on I was really into ambient music and like American original Emo. Votes: 0

As far as I'm concerned, blues and jazz are the great American contributions to music. Votes: 0

The blues will always be because the blues are the roots of all American music. Votes: 0

Most of the best music in American history was made by people with no options. Votes: 0

The Blues? It's the mother of American music. That's what is is - the source. Votes: 0

We're a staple in the American music culture. Like us or not, we're here to stay. Votes: 0

Hip-hop is interesting, but American pop music doesn't have the kind of diversity that the UK does. Votes: 0

The impact of black music and black art forms on American culture is really difficult to appreciate. Votes: 0

I didn't grow up watching film but as a Ukrainian-American, music and stories and dance are crucial. Votes: 0

I did a little bit to raise the dignity and recognition of the greatness of African-American music. Votes: 0

It's going to be years and years before most people realize how greatly he contributed to American music. Votes: 0

It is from the blues that all that may be called American music derives it most distinctive characteristics. Votes: 0

Music is a performing art, as any Native American will tell you. It isn't there in the score. Votes: 0

My style of music is the great American songbook meets the pop world of the Seventies and Eighties. Votes: 0

Skiffle was a name that was attached to what was, in essence, American folk music with a beat. Votes: 0

I talk about life, and I make universal music with an American style - and that's what I do. Votes: 0

I have been long associated with British music. I have favoured it as my alternate music next to American. Votes: 0

Thank you for the music, Sleater-Kinney. This gang of three was the best American punk rock band ever. Ever. Votes: 0

The American indie underground made music for like-minded people who thought for themselves. Thinking for yourself is intrinsically subversive. Votes: 0

Ray Charles, in his own way, it's like at the beginning, Ray Charles changed American music, not once but twice. Votes: 0

I believe the history of American music is just as important as anything political because it's changed generations of people. Votes: 0

The whole American pop culture started in Philadelphia with 'American Bandstand' and the music that came out of that city. Votes: 0

There is a definite Chinese pop sound developing, but I was shocked at how influenced it is by American music. Votes: 0

I try to put a lot of our music in my music - by that I mean of American music. Votes: 0

Basically my influences have been American influences. It's been blues, gospel, swing era music, bebop music, Broadway show music, classical music. Votes: 0

Miles Davis was doing something inherently African, something that has to do with all forms of American music, not just jazz. Votes: 0

I love collecting; my joy is finding private press American or European home studio electronic music from the 60s and 70s. Votes: 0

I love Lady Gaga and I love Katy Perry and R&B and rap music... I love big, American pop music. Votes: 0

It's not just hip-hop that's dead. Mostly every form of American music is dead. It's been dead. R&B isn't really good. Votes: 0

It could be the sort of declining grip of the American MTV-nation culture-the fact that MTV doesn't play so much music anymore. Votes: 0

Many cities make music, but no city breathes music quite like Memphis. The songs and sounds that come from here are uniquely American. Votes: 0

American music is something the rest of the world wants to listen to. Our job is to make sure they pay for it. Votes: 0

MTV essentially killed 'American Bandstand' and 'Solid Gold,' because music videos are an easier way for pop artists to gain television exposure. Votes: 0

I didn't grow up in the typical happy American home, but music was always a safe and wonderful place for me to go. Votes: 0

Skiffle was blues featuring a washboard and acoustic instruments. It encompassed blues, with elements of folk, jazz, and, at times, American country-and-western music. Votes: 0

Too much emphasis is put on American roots music when people try and place me. You know, I grew up listening to punk. Votes: 0

I feel like a Mac store! I have a Canadian iPhone, an American iPhone and an iPad. I'm constantly downloading music to iTunes. Votes: 0

I'd be happy if people said that I did a little bit to raise the dignity and recognition of the greatness of African-American music. Votes: 0

To be honest, I'm really into folk music, and I love Big Phony. I like Priscilla Ahn, and yeah, I really support Asian-American artists. Votes: 0

I have discovered three things which know no geographical borders - classical music, American jazz, and applause as the sign of the public's favor. Votes: 0

I'm a big fan of cultural music, and that's how I try to expand my playing, by listening to music that is not conventionally American. Votes: 0

We are living in a time when American popular music is finally being recognized as one of our most successful exports. The demand is huge. Votes: 0

Even the most jingoistic person would have to admit that even American cultural music comes from Europe. That's what classical music is, real European music. Votes: 0

I'm an Australian, and when I grew up much of my influences were American - blues music and country music, all that sort of thing. Votes: 0

We all listened to a lot of recorded music, especially American jazz, modern jazz, and that's where our studies were and our inspiration came from. Votes: 0

Jazz is the favorite music [of America]. It is a type of music invented by [American] Blacks to please their primitive tendencies and desire for noise. Votes: 0

I think what I listen to now is what I listened to as a kid which is kind of black American soul. I love soul music. Votes: 0

The way to write American music is simple. All you have to do is be an American and then write any kind of music you wish. Votes: 0

When I watched American Idol, I always thought Simon was the most realistic. Simon's like, It was absolutely horrid. That's what they tell in the music industry. Votes: 0

I think the women - Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu - are doing new conceptual things and using their voices to create new American music. Votes: 0

One of the great virtues, apart from the pleasure of performing these works, is that it's opened up an entirely new, expansive repertoire of American Jewish music. Votes: 0

Have you listened to the radio lately? Have you heard the canned, frozen and processed product being dished up to the world as American popular music today? Votes: 0

It may be that my most helpful contributions to music aren't my compact discs but my articles about other great singers of the past for American Heritage magazine. Votes: 0

America does four things better than any other country in the world: rock music, movies, software and high-speed pizza delivery. All of these are sacred American art forms. Votes: 0

I like Celtic folk music, Native American music, and any kind of early music. There isn't a lot of music that I don't like... except for Show Tunes. Votes: 0

I joke to people in the press that I realize I'm not black, I'm actually white. But I've got these roots in black American music. I love it. Votes: 0

My American gay audience have continued to dance and sing to the music I make in a way that straight Americans haven't. I am grateful to them for that. Votes: 0

Jazz music is as American as it gets, and so is the U.S. Postal Service. A Miles Davis stamp is a perfect marriage of two great American institutions. Votes: 0

Think about the number of people who do film music, make records and have a Native American heritage - and I may be the only one on the list. Votes: 0

Copland was one of the first American composers to forge a truly modern style of American classical music while also making use of American popular music - including jazz. Votes: 0

American audiences don't react in the same way as European ones to African music because, I think, Europeans listen to this music through all the festivals that exist here. Votes: 0

We were raised in an Italian-American household, although we didn't speak Italian in the house. We were very proud of being Italian, and had Italian music, ate Italian food. Votes: 0

I love that there's this tradition of being able to discuss the heaviest topics and the gnarliest stuff that goes down in people's lives in traditional Southern American music. Votes: 0

I wanted a trumpet concerto that reflected Native American music because, well, there aren't any. I looked around for one but couldn't find anything. So it's a wide-open field. Votes: 0

In fact, a lot of critics seemed to consider R.E.M. the first American music since the '60s to break out on its own and develop a stand-alone sound. Votes: 0

I learned that instead of relying on and imitating American music, there is a better chance for an Asian artist to succeed if he or she follows his or her own culture. Votes: 0

The whole path of American music has been so much about the recognition of stylistic diversity, and the recognition of the importance of music which was from one of the vernacular traditions. Votes: 0

I'm weird - I don't really listen to American music while I'm writing. I do occasionally get an anthem song, but generally speaking, when I write, I only listen to Japanese and Hawaiian music. Votes: 0

What is American music? The most satisfying answer I've come across is that it was a kind of natural comfort with the vernacular which is diverse and regional; it's not one particular set of sounds. Votes: 0