Why John Lennon Stopped Caring About Having Hits
John Lennon had hits over and over and over again. But he didn't think always hitting the top 10 was a good long-term goal.
John Lennon had hits over and over and over again. But he didn’t think always hitting the top 10 was a good long-term goal. He said part of the reason he felt this way was because he was “34 going on 60.”
John was one of the most popular singers who ever lived. He also made a lot of music that just wasn’t commercial, from the avant-garde soundscape of Unfinished Music No. 1: Two Virgins to the screaming sadness of “Mother.” John felt that always being accessible would hurt his work.
During a 1975 interview with Rolling Stone, John discussed a personal revelation. “I’ve come to learn something big this past year,” he said. “I cannot let the top 10 dominate my art. If my worth is only to be judged by whether I’m in the top 10 or not, then I’d better give up,” he said. “Because if I let the top 10 dominate my art, then the art will die. And then whether I’m in the top 10 is a moot point.”
Source: Matthew Trzcinski/cheatsheet.com
