What's more important? Lyrics or music? (Poll)

The most important thing in music is, well, the music.
Poets should write books instead.

 

Music. With a couple exceptions--comedy music being one of the primary exceptions, I typically couldn't care less about lyrics. For the vast majority of music, I listen to vocals "non-semantically." I listen to the pitches, the phrasing, etc., but I don't care about the meanings of the words. For all I care, it might as well be in a language I can't understand or it might as well just be scat singing.

 

The only reason I don't listen to more Bob Dylan is because I feel I'm wasting my time if I can't focus on the words, too, and I don't like that that's how I feel. I like music that I can take great joy from whether I'm focusing on the words or treating them as sounds.

 

As someone who doesn't pay attention to lyrics when I listen to music, I still love Dylan.

 

...but it definitely *is* my heartfelt "conviction". For me, a great set of lyrics is important but lyrics-in my view-need a mood set by a melody to "bring them home". If that doesn't matter than one may as well just sit with a book of poetry. Effective, atmospheric as lyrics may be they become that much so when they're part of a complete song. And on the other side of the coin, an instrumental (while some can be pretty breathtaking) will attract me much less, overall, than a recording which incorporates both music and vocals (most song lyrics actually depend on who's singing them and how they're sung) . Simply put, I may love it but I won't play it nearly as often. So yea...both, quite definitely

 

Yes

 

I'd say music because I can overlook silly or inane lyrics if they are attached to a great melody.

 

Most of Led Zep too.

 

Music mostly, except for Dylan. Music is not the main draw. (unless it's someone else doing his songs).

 

Lyrics by far.

 

It isn’t music without music. It’s still music without lyrics.

 

I voted music, but I pay a lot of attention to the lyrics and if they're good, it certainly enhances the song for me.

 

I voted music, but lyrics sometimes can be just as important if not more so. It really just depends on the song.

 

Moo-sick

 

If "both" isn't an option it's obviously music!

 

I can never decide on this to the day I'm dead or later. Mostly the rhythms take my attention, voices, not so much, lyrics did when I was young (like on Scary Monsters and The Wall). Today I'm 56 and still can' make my mind up. Cheers.

 

The poll might have been more interesting if you could vote 70% music/30% lyrics or something like that. As a binary proposition it's not very interesting.

 

If the music isn’t good, the lyrics don’t matter. Otherwise it’s just someone reading poetry over some drums.

granted, terribly awkward lyrics can ruin perfectly good music. It’s why I would be a huge Brad Paisley fan if he only made instrumentals.

 

For sure both. What's the point of writing a song with lyrics if not for what the song has to say and how it says it? And what's the point of setting something you have to say to music if it's not the music? Without either, you don't have a song. Each is indispensably important. I will say, for me personally, it's what a sing is about and how it says what it has to say that is the first thing that draws me to a song. But I also probably listen to more instrumental music than vocal music.

 

The best lyrics can't make up for bad music, so music. And I'm a Crass fan.

 

I must admit, I often pay little or no attention to lyrics because they’re often hard to understand. The music takes no effort to understand and it’s really why I put a good system together.

 

Lyrics are more important, but I prefer instrumental music.

 

Music.

Great lyrics are nice but music can be great even with silly lyrics.

 

I cannot separate the two, unless it's an instrumental...: )

 

I’m in it for the music!
If I wasn’t I would have never enjoyed The Red Hot Chili Peppers like I do!