Cool quotes from Western music artists
A single quote from someone can radically change your outlook on life.
I think everyone has experienced that at least once.
This time, I’ve selected some cool quotes from Western music artists.
Japanese artists tend to be more self-protective, so you don’t hear many blunt statements.
Overseas artists, on the other hand, speak plainly, and their words can really move you.
If you’re at a turning point in life or facing difficulties, please take your time and read to the end.
Cool quotes from Western music artists (1–10)
Behind every successful person lurks resentment.Eminem
Eminem, a rapper who rose to become an icon of the hip-hop scene with overwhelming rap skills while carrying the cultural handicap of being white.
He’s respected by many heads in Japan as well.
Here’s one of his famous quotes.
Despite his undeniable talent, he often gets nitpicked because of his race or the way he blew up.
This quote, which could only come from someone like him, realistically teaches us about the price of success.
His works feature many memorable lines, so be sure to check them out.
Training and a core that are not swayed by momentary trends are necessary.Jay Z
The highest-earning artist in the world is Jay-Z.
You might think, “Wait, does he make more than Michael Jackson or The Beatles?” In terms of music sales alone, they’re ahead.
However, Jay-Z also has a strong footing as a businessman.
Including that income, he’s the top earner among artists.
Here’s one of his famous quotes.
Coming from someone so commercially successful, his refusal to blindly embrace trends is convincing, isn’t it? Be sure to check out some of his classic tracks.
Love today.Lauryn Hill
If you’re into Black music, you surely know the singer-songwriter Lauryn Hill.
In Japan, many people first discovered her through her leading role in the film Sister Act 2.
Lauryn Hill is an artist whose way of thinking and convictions resonate with many, almost like a philosopher.
Here’s one of her famous quotes.
Because it’s abstract and brief, this isn’t definitive, but it likely conveys the idea of living each day without regrets.
Love is stronger than justice.Sting
The Police were a British band that enjoyed worldwide success from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s.
Sting served as the band’s vocalist and guitarist, and after going solo he continued to rack up massive hits around the world.
Here’s one of his famous quotes.
If you’re familiar with Sting’s songs, you might find it surprising.
And yet, love is indeed stronger than justice, and in the face of love, even good and evil cease to matter.
It’s a quote that shows just how enlightened Sting is in his everyday outlook.
Never speak the words that come to mind by following your intuition.Paco de Lucia
Among the artists in flamenco with over 200 years of history, the guitarist Paco de Lucía is known as one of the top talents.
Although he passed away in 2014, until then he was globally recognized as a guitarist who represented flamenco, so many of you may know him.
Here is one of his famous quotes.
Though he was known for being a man of few words, judging from this quote, he likely didn’t want to voice shallow thoughts lightly.
It’s a quote that reflects his character.
It is an artist’s responsibility to reflect the times.Nina Simone
Nina Simone, the greatest artist the U.S.
let slip away.
She wasn’t a commercial singer but a true artist, and this is one of her famous quotes.
During her lifetime, she was actively involved in the civil rights movement, using her position as an artist and celebrity to keep helping the vulnerable.
This quote perfectly encapsulates the way she lived.
Personally, the way she declares it a “duty” really feels true to who she was.
Every one of her works weaves in profoundly deep messages and expressions, so be sure to check them out.
There is no summit. There is always a higher peak to reach.Jascha Heifetz
Jascha Heifetz, a violinist who epitomized the 20th century.
He is known as one of the top three most technically skilled violinists in history, and among those with surviving recordings, he is renowned as being in a class of his own.
Here is one of the famous quotes he left behind.
There was no violinist who surpassed him.
Yet he was not content with that; he continued to hone his craft in pursuit of even greater heights.
It is a supreme quote that lets you savor the mindset of the top of the top.
Without detours, progress is impossible.FRANK ZAPPA
The great guitarist Frank Zappa.
A guitarist who was hugely active from the 1960s through the early 1980s, he had a major influence on modern guitarists and artists.
Unusually for artists of his time, he was critical of Christian fundamentalism, the Republican Party, and communism.
Because of that, his statements drew a lot of attention—and here’s one of his famous quotes: Is it because we take detours that we make progress, or because we experience waste that we make progress? Either way, it’s a rock ’n’ roll quote that helps you stay positive.
When you realize you have nothing, you start to appreciate having your thoughts understood, and you feel so much more at ease.Stevie Wonder
Singer-songwriter Stevie Wonder, who, despite being completely blind, possesses an exceptional sense for the piano.
His music is so distinctive that even if you don’t know he composed a song, you might think, “Hey, isn’t this a Stevie Wonder track?” Here is one of his famous quotes.
There comes a time for everyone when they come to know their own weaknesses.
These words, which express gratitude to those who continue to love us just as we are, remind us how happy everyday life can be.
When you step on stage, believe you’re the best. When you step off, believe you’re the worst.Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton, a singer-songwriter who first rose to prominence with the band Cream and later achieved great success as a solo artist.
He is renowned as an excellent composer and is also known for his high-level guitar technique.
Here is a famous quote from him, one of the world’s foremost electric guitarists.
It’s a quote that reveals his disciplined side: giving his all to the audience on stage and dedicating himself to rigorous practice off stage.