Post #1674777
2026-04-25 21:48 UTC
On the topic of commercial success, Vangelis once said words to the effect of “I thought if I were successful, I could do more. But it turned out I could do less.”
For context, Vangelis was capable of writing hit songs whenever he wanted. But he rarely wanted to, preferring to explore many other areas in music instead, which often put him at odds with the industry.
I often think of his words. I know I’ll never have major success for my own works, but perhaps that’s actually a good thing.
Replies (1)
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@ohchristwhatnow@4bear.com 2026-04-25 21:54
On one hand, I will never be anywhere near the creative brilliance of Vangelis. But on the other hand, I can do whatever I want within my much lesser capabilities. While the ongoing devaluation of music means it gets increasingly difficult to earn a living from it, the ever-decreasing costs to produce it open up so many more creative possibilities. What I do now, using little more than a home computer, cost a lot more to do 30 years ago, and would’ve been enormously expensive 40 years ago.