When listening to music - do you pay more attention to the lyrics or the melody?

Question

I pay mostly attention to the melody and the beats

RSav4013 · Accepted Answer

It depends on my mood.

I'm a songwriter, so I appreciate both ends of the spectrum. I find that sometimes instrumental songs can speak more to me than lyrics ever could. But I have also been incredibly moved by some lyrics.

To me, music is about emotion. I can't stand most of the stuff that is popular today because that is one department it is severely lacking in.

Gopnik · Accepted Answer

what do you listen to mostly in this?

CherryRoseChampange · Accepted Answer

Depends on the song but normally both. However, it also depends on my mood and the reason I have the song playing. Is it to create a daydream or set a mood for something I'm doing? Lyrics for dreams most time and Melody for moods

witherwing · Accepted Answer

Lyrics are the most important thing to me in regards to of I like a song or not. Also the vocals as an "instrument", but the actual instruments don't really interest me.

Genie23 · Answer

Mmmm.. I pay attention to the lyrics more. I'm a very emotional and expressive sort of person. The good lyrics always touch my heart, and makes that song memorable for me.

-Asca- · Answer

Melody definitely. I mean I like electronic music that doesn't even have lyrics and I like music in languages I don't even speak so I guess it's obvious. Music is about sound. If I listen to English music I often don't even understand what it is about because I just don't listen. The only music where I really about lyrics is music in my first language.

FrenchyRomain · Answer

1st listen is the general melody, if everything goes well together : drums, bass, guitar and vocals. 2nd listen i pay attention to the lyrics, the story or the message it tries to pass on and finally i listen a 3rd time to see if the melody and the lyrics echo each other (best example would be Master of Puppets of Metallica, and if you don't understand what i mean you should watch Alex Hefner on the subject)

TrisMeto · Answer

I listen to both since the melody is so great and complex but the lyrics aswell because they are just SOOOOO good. I mostly listen to the Gazette, Mejibray and stuff like that, give a listen to their stuff to understand.

weasley8 · Answer

I used to listen mostly to the melody. Then I became obsessed with music theory and took a ton of classes in it and began remembering the chord structure more than anything else.

Jegvitikke · Answer

Depends on which one is more ear catching. A lot of lyric heavy songs will deliberately have a simpler backtrack to draw more attention to the lyrical content (mainly in rap). But a lot of others drench the vocals in great melodies and stuff, using it more as an instument than a way to convey meaning. Ofcourse these are just 2 extremes, but generally, songs fall somewhere on this spectrum.

larswisner · Answer

Melody, hence my passion for metal beautiful example, I'd recommend it to anyone

Apathetic-Warewolf · Answer

Mostly how the song sounds... that's all I care about... Sometimes the words matter

anmari2001 · Answer

Depends on the mood, sometimes I feel like listening to something more meaningful and sometimes I need some catchy stuff

Anonymous · Answer

I want to say melody only because it has to draw my attention. But doesn't it come down to what kind of mood your in. Some music you really have to sit and listen in order to enjoy the song and know what's going on.

emmily2396 · Answer

I often listen to music in a foreign language, sometimes I don't speak the language, but I listen to the song because I like it. Of course, I search for a translation to see what the song is about.

Aalena · Answer

I tend to pay more attention to the base line or just trying to find something interesting in the background

Ellie-V · Answer

I pay attention to both most of the time, but if I’m feeling particularly somber, I might be in it for the lyrics a little more

claratanry · Answer

it depends on what song i listen to, but i tend to pay attention to both.

dm23chan · Answer

Melody, because I listen a lot of music without lyrics  Though, when I listen to songs with good lyrics I cannot help but sing along

9teen · Answer

Melody. I find lyrics most of the time to be very cringe-worthy. Hence why I love instrumental music a lot.

just_a_potato · Answer

I try to focus on the lyrics but just music alone can move you in such a way words can't

The_monk · Answer

I gp for the music, English is my second language and I times is hard to pick every single words so I rather enjoy the melody

Sara_Kellie · Answer

Depends. If it's trance (or alike) I listen to the musical composition. If it's folk (or alike) I tend to listen to the lyrics.

Wood-Carver777 · Answer

Being a musician, I can tell you that the melody is the engine of the song and the lyrics are just driving the point across.

LuvAsh · Answer

Tbh it depends. If i am studying then probably the melody, if its my first time hearing it, both but mostly lyrics.

SirRexington · Answer

Lyrics, I'm a lyricist. But the instrumentation is just as important.

latinabutterfly96 · Answer

I believe most people pay more attention to the melody.

Edanurus · Answer

If I was bothered by lyrics I would listen to poetry. You should convey emotion through the don not tell the listener how to feel.

mishmishayezie · Answer

The melody more If it sounds good, I will keep listening And then I will listen to the lyrics lol

LonelySoul4 · Answer

I can't enjoy a song without understanding it's lyrics

Aiko_E_Lara · Answer

The melody. Most of my music are instrumental and some have vocals but i don't understand it because i only pay attention to the tune.

poludelirobi · Answer

The melody is important of course! But cmon if the words constantly contradict to my way of life and moral, but i listen it anyway because of the beat, something is wrong about it, right?

Joxaren · Answer

definitely melody, i mostly listen to music without lyrics or in languages that i dont understand.

mrkdvsn · Answer

I find that I don't even BEGIN to listen to any lyrics unless i really like the music itself

wavtech88 · Answer

I think it’s because I make beats that I only pay attention to the beat.

PrivateJim · Answer

Well I headbang to the melody and mouth the lyrics 😂

Insomniac92 · Answer

It all depends on the mood. When I m feeling down I tend to focus on the lyrics but when I m in a good mood I tend to focus on the music.

Dark93 · Answer

Melody for sure. I never remember lyrics, but if I just heard the melody I could tell you the song

ohskippy · Answer

1st time listening to a track I listen to the music, then I listen to the vocals of it

maxgentsaryuk · Answer

I used to listen to the beat but now I pay more attention to what the song is actually about

bbg1110 · Answer

I pay attention to lyrics because they tell stories unless the were written by someone who had no purpose

Anonymous · Answer

Melody - often the songs are in languages I don't understand so I can only pay attention to the melody and the singer's voice.

hajisultan · Answer

Lyrics are more important to me. The complex are the lyrics the more I like the song

hgisawesome · Answer

I like a mix of both. Alright lyrics, but the melody is what makes me stay.

OldSchool_Metalhead · Answer

I pay attention to both man..

SpiderManFan2002 · Answer

Lyrics. I love words.

franthehorsegirl · Answer

Depends on my mood but both

Eryxx · Answer

Melody first, then lyrics

Chaz269 · Answer

Depends on the music.

LonewolfMeme · Answer

Depends but normally both.

Aenetoo · Answer

Both. But I can't stand a song with bad lyrics.

dontgofalling · Answer

The combination is what makes me like it...

donnna · Answer

Depends on the song and on my mood

CarpetDenim · Answer

Both

tsg2000 · Answer

I feel like the beat is the most inportant part

Skullpool · Answer

Everything is important

anustart · Answer

I trained my brain to listen to both

IhateIdealism · Answer

Depends on music style.

Logorithim · Answer

Melody

blubblubblub · Answer

depends on my mood

fay23 · Answer

Melody the. Lyrics

NovissimumVirorum · Answer

Unsure

Just_Me89 · Answer

The melody.

Skali9119Liska · Answer

Both

When listening to music - do you pay more attention to the lyrics or the melody?

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Do you focus more on the lyrics or the music (instrumental) of a song?

When listening to music - do you pay more attention to the lyrics or the melody?

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Do you focus more on the lyrics or the music (instrumental) of a song?

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