Music vs. Lyrics
 

Which is more important for you?

For some reason, I am almost entirely focused on the music. I'm not sure if it's because I'm not a native English speaker, or because most musicians mumble their lyrics to the point where you can only understand them if you read them somewhere (can't be bothered) or because, even when they are intelligible, they are too abstract to understand (f.e. The Shins, Bon Iver etc.).

So, even if the lyrics are great, if the music isn't appealing I can't get into it.

There are exceptions though (for example, with Kasey Musgraves I not only really dig the music but can understand and like the lyrics as well).

With some artists, I imagine a huge part of their appeal is actually in their lyrics rather than their music.

What's your experience?

Depends. Both.

Good lyrics don't automatically make an artist great much like how ultra-skilled playing doesn't automatically lead to good music. I guess if I had to pick one, I'd pick music because that's the bigger umbrella that quantifies all of, well, music. Some artists don't give a **** about their lyrics, some are the greatest poets of our time. I take it on a case by case level. I think that makes it easier to forgive bad lyrics than bad music since you can just lump the artist into the "doesn't give a **** about lyrics" category when the lyrics suck. If the music isn't good then there's little reason to justify waiting around to see how great the lyrics are. The only thing that I can think of that I appreciate (key word: appreciate as opposed to like) for its lyrics more than the music itself was A Crow Looked at Me. Artists whose lyrics I love (billy woods, Richard Dawson, El-P, Idles to name a few) generally drew me in with their music first.

The lens is important too. If I'm approaching the album with no context and the lyrics don't engage me as important, I'll usually approach them as a secondary element. If I've heard that an album has great lyrics or the music presents itself in a way that makes it seem like the lyrics are important, I'll put the lyrics in the front seat since that's what the art has to offer.

Usually I don't care about the lyrics at all unless they really grab and eviscerate me, like A Crow Looked At Me (like Frown said). And when I do occasionally become very fixated on a song's lyrics, it's never because they're necessarily amazing lyrics or anything; it's usually because I find them relatable emotionally somehow. I listened to nothing but Tamaryn's song Dawning for like a month straight for that reason.

Sometimes I really love and care about the lyrics but it’s like 90/10 in favor of the music

That ten percent is still big and mostly hip hop

Along the same lines I probably listen to ten instrumental records for every one with vocals at this point.

To a certain degree, if I want to deal with language then I’d be reading.

I think it's also because there's hardly any music in A crow...;)

Anyway, glad I'm not the only one!

Due exception of course, for example, quite recently the following lyric stopped me in my tracks:

You throw yourself down on the playground
Skid to a halt on the runway
You cast a poisonous look to the sun
You know it just doesn't happen to anyone
You know this doesn't just happen to anyone

From Destroyer - It just doesn't happen.

I mean, c'mon, poisonous look?? So graphic, so bookish...:love:

Music, easily. After all, it's ... music, right?

Lyrics are always secondary.

Because of the lyrics being the actual message of the song, to me, they may be the most important.

God bless you always!!!

Holly

I'm almost the opposite. I'm always drawn to a song because of melody. I don't really worry about lyrics until several listens.

Don't get me wrong, lyrics can make or break a song at that point but it's melody first.