What is More Important in a Song: Lyrics or Melody?
The age-old debate: Lyrics vs. Melody. Which one is more important in music? Which of the two plays a more significant role in a song? People have been debating about this for decades. But if we look at music in general, across all the various genres and styles, the answer is pretty straightforward.
For most listeners Melody is more important, and comes first. In genres where both lyrics and melody are an integral part of a song, most music fans pay attention and connect to melody first, and only then read into lyrics.
Pretty much every song starts with a tune. Even if the intro is short, and lyrics follow soon after, those first few notes is what we initially hear. And sometimes those few notes is enough for us to determine if we like the song or not. That’s the reality. Especially now, when everything is readily available online, and is consumed at much higher speed.
Yet, there are many for whom lyrics is the favorite part of the song. Some people prefer the story, and when it’s delivered by great lyrics. They view melody as a secondary co-pilot. It also depends on the genre and the purpose of the song.
Why Melody Captures Us First
So why do we feel melody before the words? Well, apart from the obvious answer that the instruments always start first, it also has a more scientific explanation. Studies show that music (melodic tunes) stimulates emotions directly through sound, rhythm, and harmony. So melody is the key element that directly causes our emotional engagement with music. That’s just how our brain and nervous system works.
By the way, I have covered the major ways music can effect us in this article – Music As Therapy.
Also, melodies unlike lyrics don’t care about languages. They have a universal appeal that can easily overcome the language barrier. For example, if you are an English speaker and that’s the only language you know, then a song in Chinese will probably won’t mean a lot to you, right? You will only understand and listen to the tune itself. But if you like that tune, you will want to hear it again. This global timeless connection is like a secret weapon every great melody has.
Then, there are certain genres that just don’t use lyrics at all. From classical music that historically relied on melodies only, to modern genres like electronic or jazz, where it’s all about the sound. There’s no lyrics in them, but millions of people enjoy them daily.
When Lyrics Carry The Weight
It doesn’t mean that lyrics always come second, though. Depending on the genre, the style and the purpose of a song, they can become the main part. When lyrics bring meaning to music, you simply can’t have a great song without them.
In certain cases lyrics give songs ALL their meaning. They are the thing that matters most. Through lyrics listeners can relate to the stories told in songs. Genres like folk, country, or hip-hop focus on words more than they do on melody. Sometimes the story itself is the purpose of the composition.
If the artist’s goal is to share their personal experiences, tell their story, it’s kinda impossible to do it without lyrics. Without meaningful words it’s hard to create deep emotions and connection with the listeners.
How Genres Define The Focus
As you might’ve noticed yourself, sometimes it’s all about the music genre. Some of them need strong lyrics, while others can have excellent hits without them. Compare hip hop with Electronic dance music for example.
But what about those music genres that use both tools, like pop music, or rock music? The answer to the question “what’s more important lyrics or melody?” will come down to a specific track. If the artist focuses on the story – the lyrics shine. But if the main attraction is the tune, then lyrics are on a supporting role.
One thing about Pop genre though, pop artists often deliberately write and use simple lyrics. Almost to the point when words don’t matter at all. Like you can replace them with “la-la-la”, and the song stay the same. It’s mostly done to create instantly memorable, catchy melodies and grab listeners’ attention right away. Such pop songs aim to be as appealing to a broad audience as possible. They are not about delivering any important messages.
Judging by the popularity of the genre, this approach works. However some fans don’t like pop for that same reason, and prefer other genres where there’s substance that goes together with a nice tune.
Melody and Lyrics Together
Some of the most memorable songs often have a balance between captivating lyrics and amazing melody. In these songs melody and lyrics are still great as separate parts. But they work best in combination. A melody draws the listener in, and interesting lyrics provide additional meaning and depth. As a result both lyrics and melody enhance each other.
Here are a couple of examples of such songs, from different genres:
Pink Floyd – Wish You Were here
Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah
Audioslave – Be Yourself
Conclusion
Both lyrics and melody can be the main star of the song. They each have their unique strength and purpose. If the music genre doesn’t include lyrics, then the melody gets all the attention obviously. But if the purpose of the song is to tell the story – then lyrics come upfront.
But in general, across music genres where lyrics and melody are both used at the same time, most listeners pay more attention to the melody. After all, there’s no good song without a great melody, but there can be a great song without any lyrics.
Of course, rather than choosing one over the other, great bands and artists try to make songs that combine meaningful lyrics with beautiful melodies. Because in the end two means of emotional storytelling is better than one.
