I disagree that you can’t share a song with the whole world due to language. I listen to stuff in languages I don’t speak frequently. And making music out of one’s voice seems pretty darn human.

There is a time and place for instrumental for me. I like listening to it when I need to focus, as opposed to songs that sometimes distract me more.

I wouldn’t really say I prefer one over another; they both have their place to me

Yes but only because most lyrics are simple rhyming slop.

Absolutely. Most songs I hear are repeating garbage. Instrumental repeat as well but it’s just not the same mickey mouse lyrics.

If you don’t understand the language then singing is just another instrument

Vocals can be a good generic instrument too. See NieR: Automata soundtrack or more recently Clair Obscur, although this one have more actual sentences.

Language is irrelevant, beautiful music transcends. Weather it is lyrical melodies or harmonies… makes no difference. There are VERY many truly sublime operatic performances across a variety of genres

I listen to a lot of music in languages I don’t understand. Growing up I especially loved Rammstein. No clue what they were saying until I was older, but feeling is feeling.

There’s a time for both instrumental and vocals, and that’s of course dependent on my mood and focus. I’ll put on something like an elder scrolls soundtrack or lo fi hip hop if I need to focus.

I enjoy both. I also enjoy music of multiple languages I don’t understand. I don’t think understanding the lyrics is necessary to enjoy a song or feel an atmosphere.

I’m not a musician, but I don’t think it’s necessarily harder to compose with instruments only. Lyrics and voice are one of many tools in music, and whether you include one or the other, you compose with what you have or choose.

Additionally, I often listen to music without consciously paying attention to or observing the lyrics.

I agree that it can be seen as more universal, though.

For an instrumental recommendation, I recommend This Will Destroy You, particularly the songs

• The World is our ____
• I Believe In Your Victory
• Burial On The Presidio Banks
• Quiet,

Web links:

• This Will Destroy You on YouTube
• This Will Destroy You on Bandcamp
• This Will Destroy You linktree

I like both, just depends on what I feel like listening to.

I’m on the same page as you, but really it’s for different reasons.

Oftentimes when I listen to music with vocals (especially American music), I can’t shake the feeling that the singer is being an attention whore / trying too hard.

I don’t always get that vibe, but it definitely impedes my ability to listen to a lot of tracks.

I also like that instrumental music gives me room to think.

https://youtu.be/X7R2Vl_hcCA?si=mfgmIxuL11dE3qzA

i usually don’t catch most of the lyrics the first or second go around, so anything i hear for the first time basically sounds like this. because of that, i treat vocals like any other instrument- is the tone good? is it carrying a good melody? only if i like a song enough to listen multiple times (because of or in spite of the singer) do i start to pick up the words, which can elevate the experience if they’re good but if they’re not, nothing gained and nothing lost.

It’s due to auditory processing issues

The issue for me is that musicated poetry has to be good poetry in first place. Generally, the voice even if good just interferes with the music unless it is a choir. Plus I’ve always had a hard time parsing lyrics by ear… I’d never considered cross-culture universality.

Remember Gangnam Style?