Max Martin

“Nothing wrong about EDM. Great songs came out of it, but there was a period when everything had to have a pace of 128 bpm and be DJ-related.”

“I spent two years day and night in that studio trying to learn what the hell was going on.”

“The sound itself, the production, is of such great importance that it has become an integrated part of the composition.”

“It's never like, 'Now I'm going to sit down and write this or that kind of song.' The melodies may show up in the car, in the shower.”

“Singing involves a great deal of psychology.”

“I've learned that things change. The whole boy band thing almost turned into a stock market crash.”

“If the chords change a lot over the course of a song, it's better to stay within the same melodic structure.”

“You need a balance at all times. If the verse is a bit messy, you need it to be less messy right after. It needs to vary. 'Shake It Off' is a good example, where the math behind the drama is pretty clear.”

“I love being part of the ASCAP family of songwriters and composers.”

“I've never been cool.”

“Pop music follows the evolution of society in general: Everything moves faster.”

“I remember that I started playing brass - not so much because I had a calling but because I thought it looked cool.”

“It's music. It's supposed to be fun and inspirational. You have to be inspired. If I did it because it was my 'job,' and I only did it to make money, I don't think I'd still be doing it.”

“I first began with the recorder in our community music school. After that, I played horn and participated in the school orchestra.”

“If you listen to the first, second, and third chorus of a song, they don't sound the same. It's the same melody and all that, but what really happens is that the energy changes. It's all about getting the listener to keep his or her concentration.”

“I believe in the cause, and I believe in the people, and by supporting Music Rights Awareness, I very much hope - and believe - we can make a difference.”

“I want to be part of every note, every single moment going on in the studio. I want nothing forgotten; I want nothing missed.”

“It's incredibly important to me that you remember a song right after the first or second time you hear it. That something sticks to you, something that makes you feel, 'I need to hear that song again.' That's fundamental. Something you want again. And again.”