February 23, 2008

  • Music

    I noticed that when I like a song, I tend to like the rhythm or beat of the song.  I can really like a song and never even know the lyrics.  But I noticed that there are others who appear to know all of the lyrics of their favorite songs.

    What tends to attract you to a song, the rhythm and beat or the lyrics?

                                         

Comments (144)

  • FIRST! YES OMGZ

  • all in 1 :D

  • rhythm and beat. 

  • a good combination of both?
    and why is melody not a choice?

  • but ridiculous lyrics will kill a song for me. 

  • It is all about the rhythm

  • The melody and harmony

  • I agree with BillBryant — melody and harmony.

  • the rhythm definitely. but once i find the lyrics are meaningful, i love the song even more.

  • Rhythm and beat, oh my god.

  • Both.  Sometimes I’m drawn in by the lyrics, sometimes by the beat, sometimes by the song as a whole…
    It’s funny that you can really like a song but never know the lyrics.  Even if I’m not trying to learn the words, listening to it enough gets them stuck in my head.

  • Lyrics, beat and rhythm in that order. 

  • I’m a melody and harmony person.  However, I agree with lightbrightt, good lyrics make a good song great.

  • A little bit of both really.  If i can’t understand or don’t like the lyrics then the song will never be a favorite but the same is true of the rhythm, if I don’t like it then I likely will never like the song no matter how good the lyrics.

  • It’s the beat & rhythm that catches me first, but it’s mainly the lyrics for me. I don’t want to be crusin around bobbing my head to trashy lyrics, haha.

  • The clever use of counterpoint and voice leading… *cough*  I mean…. the melody.  ; D

  • Yeah, why  aren’t melody and harmony up there? I would have listed them before beat or rhythm!

    I hate when I like the sound of a song and then find out the lyrics are crap. I can never bring myself to like the song again.

  • Both. I can’t enjoy a song with shitty lyrics
    and a good beat. Conversely, I can’t enjoy a
    song with good lyrics and shitty music. I’m
    picky.

  • The melody and instruments used.

  • Rhythm first, melody second.  Don’t really care about the lyrics.

  • the beat, the melody and sometimes the lyrics.

  • I really like the lyrics.  I like to know what the artist is trying to say.  The rhythm and the melody just reinforce the message.

  • Depends on the song

  • Definitely the lyrics. The voice could be complete crap and the instruments could be all over the place, but if the lyrics are incredible, I will listen to it.
    Of course, it helps when the voice is really nice.

  • It depends, sometimes it’s just the voice.

  • It depends on the genre!

  • The melody and the quality of the vocalist.

  • i’m like you. i can listen to a song quite a few times, absolutely love it, and then eventually i’ll pay attention to what they’re singing about… unless there’s a lyrical phrase that really sticks out and then i tend to notice it during the first or second listen. yeah.

  • … which is probably why there are several artists that i am quite the fan of that sing in a foreign language (for example, kent — swedish) LOVE them.

  • Rhythm and beat, mostly. The singer’s voice can’t be complete crap though. I have to like the way the song sounds, overall.

  • the rhythm and beat, then the lyrics.

  • The beat.

  • Both. Usually the beat grabs me first.. but if the lyrics are good.. I’m hooked.

  • The lyrics coz it may mean something to you….like Simple plan-save you…The lyrics is like about a friend trying to help their friend and no matter what happens that friend is always sad…erm…bascilly i can relate to the lyrics…

    And a voice that gives you shivers all the way through…..that is …Fuel, Chris D, Coldplay, Foo fighters, Alterbridge.

    But if its death metal music..i will listen to the sound of guitars and drums, the good rifts and beats… =D Like All shall Perish and Cannable corpse(sp).

    Tho its just instrumental..then of course just the sounds…like Apocolyptica hahah =D

  • I can’t love a song without knowing the lyrics. I can appreciate the music, but I can’t love the song.

  • @ComaWhiteX - 

    Check out Leonard Cohen!

  • all of it, it has to have all of it not one or the other

  • the beat,god, it’s the beat, but you add the lyrics and a good rhythm and that would push me over the edge

  • Music first, lyrics second.  I often listen to smooth jazz stations and those songs generally do not have lyrics.

  • Good lyrics don’t redeem bad music. Good music makes bad lyrics tolerable. Great music gets on without lyrics.

  • Rhythm and beat is what gets me going first, but I can’t enjoy it if the lyrics are too cheezy.

  • agree.. lyrics are not that important to me.

  • lyrics

  • lyrics

  • I cannot freely enjoy a song with lyrics that are not to my taste, but sometimes it’s just for fun, as in Walk Like an Egyptian.

  • The beat!  If you see me tapping my toes…I love it! 

  • I tend to key into lyrics and orchestration.  If you can’t organize your instruments outside of the standard boring predictable pattern, I don’t care how good your lyrics and beat are.

  • Depends on the song. The lyrics need to be good, though, for me to like a ’melodious’ song. If I like the beat, lyrics are less important.

  • Definitely the rhythm and beat. I was thinking about that the other day; the lyrics can be terrible but I can still like the song. Strong lyrics can make a good song great though.

  • the beat, sometimes the lyrics, but if it doesn’t go well with the beat then it ruins it.

  • Lyrics

  • ABSOLUTELY the lyrics. I can hate the beat, but if I like the lyrics, I like the song.

  • Melodies actually, rhythm and beat along with it.

    Why techno, why happy hardcore? Why would I enjoy a three hour DJ set that many would listen to and say “It’s just the same thing over and over again…” yet the course of the three hours is actually a journey and progression of elements that bring a kind of peace to my mind.

    Melodies of techno tend to be minor or completely unnatural chord progressions, much like the symphonies of Bartok and Shostakovich or even the compositions of Erik Satie.

    The good techno anyway. Lyrics are meaningless. Totally irrelevant. Unless it is a combination of what I listed above.

    And what do minor and unnatural chord progressions represent? Conflict. I hate Mozart because it is pretty. I love Shostakovich because it is war.

  • The melody, and rhythm. I never know what they are saying in songs

  • Melody and texture.

  • Lyrics. Vocals.

  • They both have to be pretty decent…although I generally like a song more for one reason than for the other. It just varies according to song.

  • Definitely the musical aspects (melody, etc). Most lyrics — I find, are forced or trite. 

  • I like both. Sometimes I like a song because the singer is very talented and his/her voice gives me chills. Sometimes I like the orchestration. And if I find a song that has all of the above, then it’s one I definitely know by heart.

  • I like the sound first and also the lyrics, I really like a song fully with both – but sometimes I admit to liking songs without having to like the lyrics

  • different artists are judged by different criteria.

    for example, if i find a bob dylan or joanna newsom song musically unpleasant, maybe i’ll still like it because the lyrics are amazing.

    by that same token, no one really cares what the lyrics are when you’re listening to dance music. (a lot of dance music is awful, but let’s put that aside for now…)

  • i guess it just depends. sometimes its on or the other, then sometimes both.

  • @Asthma_is_Sexy -

    Totally agree with you, the rhythm and beat may get me to listen to the song, but the lyrics can destroy it…

  • Usually the rhythm first…there are a couple songs I like, but the lyrics are not so great.

    And the voice, too. Certain voices appeal to me.

    *HUGS*

  • rhythm, beat, melody, scale, and tonality are my big factors. Lyrics don’t really matter unless they’re screamo or something like that, then it kills the song for me.

  • the lyrics, I could care less about the tune. Which may be why I own

    Country Western

    Southern Gospel

    Rock

    Ska

    Music from the 50′s 60′s 70′s 80′s 90′s and of course more recent stuff

    Salsa music

    Marachi(sp?) Music

    Pop

    Rap

    Easy Listening

    Classical

    Hymns

    and other types of music.

  • Both must be good for it to slip into the real realm of greatness in my mind being that I write allot of lyrics and poetry the tune can be allittle lacking as long as the lyrics hold it up….. EXAMPLE Something Corporate not really that great of music persay (even though i love the idea of replacing lead guitar with piano) but a true lyrical feast…..

  • a combination of both works for me.

  • Initially its the rhythm and melodic parts of a song and then I listen to the lyrics more carefully and if both are awesome I tend to like the song even more.

  • Lyrics. always. Though a bad beat/musicality can ruin it.

    Whenever I get a new cd I listen to the whole thing while reading the lyrics. I just can’t stand music with stupid lyrics.

  • All of it.

    It all has to mesh. If something sticks out, it has to be tastefully so – it can’t just sound like something randomly thrown in there to mess with the mind. :]

    And I’m picky about how a song progresses. It has to have a definite beginning, middle and end for me. There has to be a climactic part, at least sort of, between the middle and the end. I’m not so bad about it with faster songs, but slow songs and instrumental songs – that is beyond required. Whatever that is.

    I thank band for it. :]

  • first it’s the tune, but I have to pay attention to the lyrics. if the lyrics aren’t that great, I can’t say I like the song. It’s kinda sad, because there are some really great sounding songs that I can’t listen to.

  • Actually I always go for the melody, even if the lyrics are stupid. I used to be a music major, so I get into the whole analyzation of the melody. I like listening stuff in a minor key and the intervals are what is interesting. I’m a dork, lol.

  • Most stuff I like doesn’t have lyrics, and if it does, they’re usually in a foreign language.  I’d have to go with a combination of melody, harmony, and rhythm, though the instrumental texture and emotional nuances in the music are the most important to me.

  • sometimes it is the lyrics, sometimes it is the rhythm and such.
    but in the end its just some sort of connection with a songs lyrics…
    its a connection unexplainable.

  • The rhythm, melody and beat are most important. As a dramatic example, there was an 1980s-90s band called Cocteau Twins that cranked out nine full albums of music and received a lot of critical acclaim. The majority of their singing took the form of unintelligible gibberish. 
    This is one example, song:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFxSQlnYml0  Written lyrics:  http://www.lyricsdownload.com/cocteau-twins-persephone-lyrics.html

  • The beat of the song attracts me first. Then, I listen to the lyrics to make sure they’re not dirty. If the song has a good beat and good lyrics, it becomes one of my faves.

  • All of the above.

  • All of the above.  Everything matters in music.  Being a music major will make you not able to enjoy things as much because you are thinking so much about what is going on musically.

  • A little bit of both, but it’s harder for me to start liking a song if the lyrics are really stupid. o__O;

  • It has to have all of them!

  • hey there i never got to know yuor name but my name is missy and thanks for being one of my friends

  • Lyrics.

  • Melody and emotional range. Seeing as though most of the music I listen to is in Italian, French, German, or Latin, all of which I am just in the process of learning, I rely heavily on what the singer can communicate to me in the passion of the melody. 

  • i generally like the music, but when i like a song for the music, i listen more to the lyrics so it ends up being both. there are a few songs that i’ve really loved, but after finding out what the lyrics were, i didn’t like them as much.

  • Definitely the beat. If we only paid attention to song lyrics today from music off the radio, we would be
    a. bored
    or
    b. extremely offended. 

  • Depends on the song.  But if I learn the lyrics and they suck, I won’t like the song anymore.

  • The beat.  I can’t think of any recent lyrics to songs that are worth a damn.

  • Their chorus is addicting.

    For example: The Lost Odyssey commercial with the Jefferson Airplane lyrics.
    I know it was Jefferson Airplane but I did not know what the lyrics were so now I do.
    It’s pretty much subliminal telemarketing that gets you into a type of music.
    I know that sounds ridiculous but I bet a lot of people went out to buy the Jefferson Airplane’s White Rabbit And Other Hits album and/or the Lost Odyssey game(which I intend to get since I already have the JA album)

  • it’s a combination…but to me it’s all about the melody. I love good music with good chord progressions and perfection…and a good voice will do me in every time.

    The beat doesn’t really matter to me, because I tend to like music rather than something to move to.

    And if I can relate to a song’s lyrics, it’s a perfect song.

  • The beat. But if they lyrics are wretched, I’ll skip. 

  • Melody is what clicks first — if there isn’t a good melody to draw me in, I never get to the lyrics, I just switch it off.  If there’s a great melody WITH thoughtful lyrics, that’s what makes for an excellent listening experience. 

  • It really depends. I can like music for the beat, the melody, lyrics, and anything original about it like the voice. I guess for me, if any of those are good, then I’ll probably like the song.

  • 1st topic:

    yeah, i would just walk by and keep going (not noticing the FLY!)

    2nd topic:

    i like most music it can be just the usual Vox and Instruments. or maybe a good instrumental song that really has a great sound that i don’t mind that has no lyrics (yuka honda & SMD are some of my fav pics). but then there are songs that just have really astounding Vocals that well just speak for it self

  • Mainly rhythm and beat/melody, sometimes the voice. Rarely the lyrics – but I do remember all of them.

  •   All of the above.  If I’m in a store and they have music I like, I’ll sing along as I shop or I’ll dance down the aisle with one of my kids.  I think for me it’s more about the vibrations that I relate to. 

  • Both in a way…

  • The lyrics and the voice.

  • A combination of melody, harmony, and rhythm.  The lyrics are usually the last for me, but through repetition I learn them.  Unless we are talking about worship music, then the lyrics are much more important.

  • I’m a lyric person, the first thing I listen to with a new song is the lyrics.  Sure the beat etc is important too but I love poetic meaningful lyrics.  I’ve memorized many many lyrics over the years I spit them out at random and scribble them all over random papers and objects.

  • I can go with either. Best songs have both!

  • Yes, initially it tend to be the beat and rhythm that catch me; however, to hold my attention I have to appreciate the lyrics.

  • both are important to me, but the lyrics is what sells me.  I’m a reader and words are very important to me.  It could be the best beat and great song, but if it is about some mysoginistic or highly sexual subject (like a lot of hip hop), then it kills the song for me.  Lyrics are essential to me.  I think Bob Dylan makes that point perfectly.  His voice is awful, but his lyrics are magic.

  • The melodies and harmonic structures!  Then beats and lyrics.

  • yeah, the overall sound. 

  • Lyrics.

  • I’ve wondered about this.
    I’m drawn to interesting melodies. Rhythm is good too.
    I prefer songs that I could figure out the lyrics to (clear vocals are a major plus for me!), but I don’t necessarily always. It boggles my mind when people have lyrics memorized to all their favorite songs, especially songs I have never been able to understand.

  • it’s definitely the rhythm or beat. a lot of the songs i love don’t even have lyrics.

  • a combination of both, but

    LYRICS especially. if a song has a good,catchy beat and crappy lyrics, it ruins the song for me. but if the beat and rhythm are just okay, and the lyrics are great, then it can become one of my faves.

    lyrics are like poetry, set to tune. i wouldn’t read bad poetry, i don’t listen to bad lyrics.

  • Wow, I have never really taken time out to think what is so appealing to music i like, except that I like it.  I must agree that the rhythm and beat is what really does it for me. Then comes lyrics and voice, how it flows with the song. I also like songs with something that surprises me;  drastic change of tempo, something said with a different tone. To songs I particularly like, I have a favorite part, phrase, word….. yknow?

  • I do pay attention to the lyrics, or at least what I can understand of them.  Like most have said, everything has to work together to make a good song.  There are good songs with good rhythm and beat and everything, but they have terrible lyrics, and to me that makes it a bad song.

    God Bless,

    Chris

  • It is hard to say.  I listened to Josh Grobin and I don’t understand half of what he sings about because it is in French, Italian, and Spanish, but I feel the pull at my heart when he sings.  Then, there are my favorites that I know all of the words to and even the beats inbetween and pauses.  A favorite might come on and it immediately takes you another place,  Whatever it is, I’m for anything concerning music.

  • I’m a fan of the lyrics more so than the rythem or beat.  A song with words that doesn’t speak to me, or at the very least give me something to relate to means nothing to me and there for I’ll never care for the song.  There are songs out there that people listen to just to relax and dance to but never hear the lyrics, or even the beat so much as letting the music move their bodies.  I have been one of those people before but not often do I sway from my taste in listening for the lyrics.

  • has to be an even mix of all three

  • Either or. I listen to some pretty shitty songs just for the lyrics.

  • I tend to realy enjoy all music. Of course i define music as rythmic sound with or without lyrics. Lryics only count if they are clear and understandable. So i guess they are equally responsible for my decision on whether or not i personally like or dislike a song.

  • mainly what i feel the meaning of the song is, and my mood…sometimes the voice draws me in first then the lyrics hook me….take, almost lover my a fine frenzy….beautiful song

  • Music first, lyrics second.  I like songs in Russian and other languages that I don’t understand. 

    And since I speak German, although I like the music of Rammstein, the lyrics are so totally foul and disgusting I can’t listen to most of their stuff.  So it can be a combination of things…

  • Rhythm definitely! Until now I still don’t know the names of the singers or the lyrics or titles of some songs.

  • The lyrics, definitely. (:

  • Melody

  • When it comes to a particular song, I’m usually taken in by the rhythm and beats. If it has good rhythm, I fall in love with it instantly. :D The lyrics come in a close second.

  • I’m not sure there are many examples of songs I like where I don’t like it all.  However, there are some songs where the lyrics themselves or the point they make are stupid, but that doesn’t ruin it for me (that much).

  • Rhythm and beat always.  The lyrics tend to follow later anyways, well at least for me… because there’s always a point when I’ll take the time to listen to the lyrics and get to know them. 

  • Both, but definitely rhythm and beat more than lyrics.  The beat is the first thing you hear, and usually what sticks out more.  I suppose I mostly like the melody, though.  I love to sing, so melody is really important to me.

  • First I’m usually attracted to the beat, but then if I find out the words are good too it helps a lot!

  • what is the point of music if the lyrics suck?

    The music you play/perform is ENDORSING the lyrics that are behind the song—-> someone may say the lyrics dont matter but they end up being able to sing every word, which means that they are talking what the lyrics says

    so its important for a musician to take the lyrics SERIOUSLY

    as you can see i listen to the lyrics first =]]

  • I always get distracted by the rhythm&beats of a song, no matter how big my goal was to actually listen to the lyrics that instance. I suppose you can guess from that fact about me.(:

  • THE MELODY.

    Music without melody is like a day without breathing.

    Dead, dead , dead

  • Beat and rythum. I don’t know the words to half of my favorite songs.

  • the rhythm and the beat catch my attention and  the lyrics are what draw me to it…

  • I always remember the lyrics of songs I like. Sometimes I hear a song I haven’t heard in a while and sing along perfectly. Since I’m also a musician, bass lines and guitar riffs draw me to songs as well.

  • When a singer uses their voice like an instrument to add to the music, that’s when I listen to the lyrics. It just grabs my attention a lot more than someone just singing lyrics. Other than that, I’m listening to the individual instruments.

  • Great question! My sister and I are always discussing this and both of us are definitely attracted to a song based on it’s beat and rhythm because a lot of the time, it’s hard to hear all those slurred words. 

  • Usually it must be a combo.  But there are exceptions, especially with instrumental jazz.

  • Rhythm and beat mostly but sometimes the lyrics…

  • LOL I USE TO BE LIKE THAT,ID NEVER PAY ATTENTION TO THE LYRICS BUT ID LOVE THE SONG.SOMETIMES WHEN ID GO BACK AND LISTEN TO THE SONGS ID USUALLY JUST LISTEN TO THE BEAT FROM ID REALIZED THAT THE LIRICS SUCK<<<(SOME OF THEM)

  • i listen to a lot of foreign music and half the time i have no clue what they’re singing about. so yeah.. i get attracted to music based on their beat and rhytm more than the lyrics…… sometimes.

  • lyrix man, the lyrix

  • I notice the rhythm first then the lyric.  However, I tried to understand the lyrics to the song.  They are both as important to me.

  • Yes.

    But I can have the first without the second, but not so much the second without the first.

  • depends on the song.

  • The lyrics and the rhythm.

  • The music is what catches me first.

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