Rick Rubin reveals why he steers clear of setting goals for musical pursuits

In a recent episode of NPR’s All Things Considered, music producer and creativity guru Rick Rubin emphasized the potential drawbacks of setting goals in creative pursuits, particularly in the realm of music. The Grammy-winning producer, known for his work with Johnny Cash and as the co-founder of Def Jam Recordings, shared insights on spirituality, his role in the music industry, and the challenges of imposing creative goals during a conversation with host Rachel Martin.

Rachel Martin shared her unsuccessful attempt to learn the piano in pursuit of creating music akin to Ludovico Einaudi’s Nomadland soundtrack. She asked Rick Rubin about the creative value of setting artistic goals and not meeting them. Rubin, known for co-founding Def Jam Recordings, expressed his tendency to avoid setting goals, suggesting they can act as limitations. He illustrated this with an anecdote about a successful artist embracing the unexpected evolution of their sound, highlighting the flexibility and creative freedom that can arise without predefined goals.

Rubin’s perspective on the distinction between technical proficiency and musical creativity was further explored in a previous episode of his podcast, Tetragrammatron, where he discussed the nuances of music creation with producer Kenny Beats. Despite acknowledging his limited technical abilities, Rubin remains a pivotal figure in the industry, focusing on creating inspiring environments for artists to explore their creativity freely in the studio.