Lyrics or the music itself?

Question

When listening to new music, what appeals to you and catches your attention first, the lyrics or the music? For those of you who might answer instrumentals, what appeals to you about them? What do you notice first?

Answer 1

I first try to listen to the lyrics but I end up jamming to the beats
beats are what I look for how you can shake that @$$ to it.
whats up thunderman 9
chat to you later
i holla ;P

Answer 2

Music

Answer 3

The very first time I hear a song, I can honestly say it is both the music and the lyrics that appeals to me. Does the music produce a certain memorable feeling? If it does I can immediately like it. I love words and writing so I always listen to what a song has to say. If they are witty or passionate they can hook me onto a song just as easily as the music can.

Answer 4

Normally I like the lyrics better, although if a song has a catchy beat, I just pay attention to the actual music, and not the lyrics. (A really good song should have good lyrics and a catchy beat!) I think that I notice the music first, since it's the first thing I hear.

Answer 5

For me it is the music first, and for me I like the music to give me a clue as to what the song lyrics want to convey, the music sets me up to feel what the words say.
So a somber song needs to feel somber, sad lonely and heartbroken before I hear the words, so that when the singer tells me about their sadness it is an all encompassing experience.

The same with up beat music or love songs or angry songs. The really good songs, that last forever, are the ones that produce this encompassing mood for the listener.

Good question I had fun answering this!

Answer 6

I rarely hear and understand all the words to a song the first time I hear them, but if some of them catch my attention, I usually look them up- that was what got me into most of my favorite bands, but I love the music for all those bands as well, so that's important too.

Answer 7

Meatloaf had me at the intro to "I'd Do Anything For Love" with the variegated tempo and then followed it up with amazing lyrics backed by superb vocals and that complex rhythm again.

The music generally appeals to me first but if it isn't followed by superlative lyrics and voice I lose interest.

Answer 8

i notice the music the beats. most of the time if the beat is good then the lyrics will be and then i grow to like the song.