Linda Ronstadt, despite her openness to diverse musical styles, developed a fundamental objection to how amplified rock evolved. She argued that as electric guitars grew progressively louder and performances moved into larger arenas, the music suffered qualitatively—becoming what she termed 'mushy' and focused on volume rather than artistic substance. Rather than compromise her values, Ronstadt chose to distance herself from rock music entirely.

Instead, she pursued artistic directions emphasizing sophisticated arrangement and performance. She collaborated with orchestral arranger Nelson Riddle and singer-songwriters like Elvis Costello, whilst also exploring Spanish-language recordings. Ronstadt made clear she had no desire to compete with amplified rock's aggression, viewing the genre's trajectory toward bigger venues and louder sound as incompatible with the musical ideals that had always guided her creative decisions.