Do lyrics or melody matter more? [Reality checks ft. Gregory Kohs]

The latest episode of Reality checks with Brian Reitz features Gregory Kohs, Founder and Owner at Research Biz and Phrase Database. Kohs has 30+ years of experience in market research and opted to have his episode cover one of his major passions: music.

“Music is a huge part of my life, and it seems to be really important to a lot of my friends as well." said Kohs.

The survey

To uncover the reality, Gregory Kohs from Research Biz and the YouGov team collaborated on a five-question survey exploring how and when musical tastes form, what draws people to music, and the all-important question whether lyrics or melody matter more:

1. What is the name of your favorite musician or band? (Open-ended)
2. When you think about your favorite musician or band – how old were you when you first started listening to them?
3. When you listen to your favorite musician or band, which instrument or part in the arrangement do you focus on the most, if you had to pick one?
4. Who would you say is most responsible for how your interest and taste in music have turned out – Your…?
5. When you listen to music, how important are the lyrics and vocalist (the words to the song), versus how important are the melody and arrangement (the notes being played)?
   

Who is America’s favorite musician?

America reveals a diverse range of preferences, with some clear favorites emerging among the 691 unique responses: The Beatles, Queen, Michael Jackson, Taylor Swift, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Rolling Stones, and Earth, Wind & Fire all secured more than 1% of write-in votes.

Taylor Swift stands out as the only contemporary artist among these long-established acts.

While The Beatles ranked first across all musical acts, named by 2.8% of respondents (2.1% wrote “The Beatles”, and another 0.7% just “Beatles”), about 3.5% explicitly stated they don't have a favorite artist or found it too difficult to choose, highlighting the challenge many Americans face in selecting a single favorite from a seemingly limitless array of options,

This 3.5% figure includes variations of "None," "Don't have one," and similar responses, but excludes those who provided ambiguous answers or multiple options.

The diversity of responses, ranging from classic rock legends to contemporary pop stars, underscores the rich and varied musical tastes of the American public.

When did Americans discover their favorite musician?

Data suggests that Americans typically discover their favorite musicians or bands during their formative years. Most respondents (52%) report first listening to their favorite artist before turning 18, with over a quarter (27%) making this discovery before turning 14.

But musical preferences can still evolve later in life, as 15% of Americans found their favorite musicians in their 30s or beyond.

The median age for discovering a favorite band or musician is 16 or 17 years-old.

When did US men and women discover their favorite musicians?

Nearly three-fifths of US men (59%) discovered their favorite musician or band before the age of 18, compared to 45% of US women.

Conversely, 47% of women first found their favorite musical act at 18 or older, while only 35% of men reported the same.

A small percentage of both genders (6% of men and 8% of women) couldn't recall or were unsure about the age at which they discovered their favorite musician or band.

“Among my circle of friends, the women are more likely to be interested in R&B and Soul and music like that, whereas the men can stick with some more basic Rock or Alternative Rock or things like that,” said Kohs.

Favorite musicians for young discoverers

Looking at the 52% of Americans who said they discovered their favorite band or musician before turning 18, the data shows a strong inclination towards classic rock bands, with The Beatles once again topping the list. Meanwhile, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, and Elvis all hop into the top five.

Notably, the list is dominated by bands formed before 1990, with Linkin Park standing out as the sole exception in the top 10.

The analysis, which combines multiple responses for accuracy (e.g., "The Rolling Stones" and "Rolling stones"), suggests a lasting impact of 20th-century rock on musical tastes formed during youth.

Favorite musicians for older discoverers

Filtering down to the 40% of Americans who said they discovered their favorite band or musician after turning 18, many newer acts emerge as leaders.

While the pre-18 fans primarily favor classic rock bands from the ‘60s and ‘70s, the post-18 discoverers appear to have a more diverse and contemporary taste.

Queen tops the list for those who found their favorite musician later in life, followed closely by Dave Matthews Band and modern pop sensation Taylor Swift. Current artists Jelly Roll also Bruno Mars round out the top five.

This stark contrast suggests that musical tastes formed in adulthood are more likely to embrace newer artists and genres.

The post-18 list includes a mix of established acts like Fleetwood Mac and Pearl Jam alongside recent chart-toppers such as Billie Eilish and Morgan Wallen.

It’s also worth noting that no artist appears on both top 10 lists.

What different generations listen for

When it comes to which parts of the music Americans listen for, vocals reign supreme across all generations. The lead singer's voice captures the primary focus of nearly half of all listeners (48%), with even backup vocals outpacing other instruments among the general population.

However, generational differences emerge when it comes to instrumental preferences. Baby Boomers and Gen X show a stronger affinity for guitar, with 18% and 15% respectively focusing on this instrument, compared to just 7% of Millennials, who are more likely than any other generation to listen for "other instruments or parts not listed.” Are millennials bringing back the xylophone?

Despite its crucial role in many musical arrangements, the bass guitar finds itself at the bottom of the list for most generations, though it does rank slightly higher among Gen X and Baby Boomers.

Who influenced their personal taste in music, by gender

While nearly half of all respondents claim sole responsibility for their musical preferences (49%), women are more likely than men to be influenced by family members, particularly their mothers.

In contrast, men are more than twice as likely as women to credit a friend for shaping their musical tastes (15% vs 6%), highlighting distinct social dynamics in music discovery between both genders.

What’s more important: Lyrics or melody?

When asked about the importance of lyrics versus melody in music, Americans revealed that most people consider both equally important (63%).

This comes despite the previous finding that Americans prefer to focus on the lead singer and even backup singer rather than instruments, suggesting while the vocalist is the main focus, the words of a song aren't necessarily more important than how the words are sung.
There's also a notable gender divide in musical appreciation, with men being more than twice as likely than women to prioritize melody over lyrics (23% vs 11%).

How much lyrics or melody matter in different genres

Finally, although this questionnaire didn’t ask about genre preferences, YouGov’s connected data let us anonymously cross-reference the results with respondents’ past answers, uncovering some clear trends.

Lyrics and vocals reign supreme in Christian and country music, with 28% and 30% of listeners respectively rating these elements as more important than melody and arrangement. In contrast, classical music and electronic dance music listeners place greater emphasis on melody and arrangement, with 20% and 21% respectively prioritizing these aspects.

Reggae fans expressed the highest level of equal importance between lyrics/vocals and melody/arrangement at 76%, suggesting a unique balance in the genre's appeal.

The connected data analysis also highlights that across all genres, a majority of listeners (ranging from 60% for Country to Reggae’s 76.3%) consider both lyrics/vocals and melody/arrangement equally important.

This data could prove invaluable for music industry professionals, from producers to marketers to AI artists, in tailoring their approaches to meet audience expectations and preferences across various genres.