Quotes from 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.

There was a phase when I and people around me listened to Prince a lot. A lot. We took Prince fandom to the extreme.

I just believe in collaboration. I mean, I've written songs on my own, you know, but I think if the artist has something to bring to the table - someone like Pink, for instance - where they have something to say, it makes your job easier and more special.

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

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.

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.

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

A great pop song should be felt when you hear it.

The producer should decide what kind of music is being made, what it's going to sound like - all of it: the why, when, and how.

When I was young, people didn't even really know what a producer was.

I believe you have to start with yourself, think about your bad habits and prejudices, not only in your profession but generally in life. Why do I assume that a doctor is a man? Something is indoctrinated from very early on.

I try to make the songs as good as I can - the way I like it, you know? And I guess my taste sometimes happens to be what other people, particularly radio programmers, like too.

Singing involves a great deal of psychology.

You can hear songs that are technically great, songs that tick all the boxes. But for a song to be felt, you need something else.

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

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

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

There are so many traps, so many ways of getting screwed in this business.

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.

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.

If the artist isn't having a great day or finds it all boring, my role becomes that of a coach. Getting the very best out of the artist. Helping them perform at their very best when it's game time. One way to get them there is to bring them out of their comfort zones.

When pop culture can influence things in any way, when a song becomes something bigger than just a song, that's the greatest thing to me.

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

As songwriters, we are lucky to have ASCAP on our side, offering support and fighting for our rights.