Fruitonica

Well, I'm not going to bother listening to something if I'm not enjoying it sonically. And I have no trouble listening to fun songs with garbage lyrics, so I guess overall 'music' is the determining factor.

But at the same time, I love lyrics and picking them apart and good lyrics take songs to another level, and add something slightly more concrete than the intangibility of instrumentals.

Especially in hip hop, a skilled lyricist is key. I might listen and enjoy bouncing along to some 50c or The Game, but I'll never respect them the way I do actual talented MC's like Lupe, Dessa, Aesop, El-P etc..

Burning Down

In my opinion, the music is more important than the lyrics. After all, the lyrics need to be supported!

ilovenmh

I prefer music because I don't pay attention to the lyrics at all when I listen to songs.

Necromancer

For me it would depend on what style & type of song it is, a rock ballads lyrics may matter more than say...an upbeat rock song that is more hyper musically where you might feel the power of the music more and care less about well written lyrics. I never did care or understand Aerosmiths lyrics back in the day, but I loved Aerosmith. But when I listen to Skid Rows 'I remember You', the lyrics are more even with the music. Seems like a kinda dumb question to ask for that matter, shouldnt it be common sense they are both just as important as the other.

anticipation

If lyrics were more important to me than instrumentation I would stick to reading poetry.

Urban Hat€monger ?

Without John Lydon the Sex Pistols would have been nothing more than a average garage band consigned to the dustbin of history.

Without solid musicians backing him up Mark E Smith would have been a drunk rambling away to himself in a pub.

Conclusion - Isn't it a bit pointless having to choose one over the other?

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pourmeanother

Yeah, it's definitely more gray scale than it is black and white... but I do see the value in picking one or the other, and discussing it- so long as everyone realizes that there IS value in each element..

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You hope for blah
And sometimes you find it, but mostly it's blah
And waiting for blah
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And then, just when you think you've got the whole blah'd damn thing figured out
And you're surrounded by the ones you blah
Death shows up... anddd blah, blah, blah.

Insane Guest

I think that the most important part of a song is the music, the lyrics don't matter, but I think that the thing that matters most is the person who sings the lyrics.

Aswad Vogelenzang

This is a fairly easy question to answer.

Popular music would never have got off the ground if good lyrics were important. Without exaggeration probably at least 90% of all pop/rock lyrics are completely merit less.

Of course that's not to say good lyrics can't enhance music they just aren't strictly necessary for good work.

The more interesting question is why are instrumentals generally less popular than songs with lyrics even if the lyrics are outrageously bad?

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Music and Reviews by Aswad Vogelenzang. DOWNLOAD THE NEW JAN - MAR 2010 MIX AT http://unnaturalconducts.wordpress.com/

Chainsawkitten

A. Some people actually like those ****ty lyrics.
B. Most people seem to enjoy vocals. Most lyric-less music is also vocal-less.

(You can always listen to music in another language. You get the vocals and don't have to understand how bad the lyrics are.)