Catchy vs Meaning

This is something I've been thinking about for a while now, whether I like a song because it's catchy or if I like it because of its meaning and lyrics (yes, I know instrumental exists). There was a bunch of vocaloid songs I looked up the translated lyrics for and I found that I loved the songs even more after knowing what they meant as I only liked them before based on how they sounded.

It's the same for English lyrics. If I actually understand what the song is talking about and not just recite lyrics because I remember them I enjoy the song a lot more. For instance I love listening to socio-political stuff like the album Daybreaker by Architects or A Flash Flood of Colour by Enter Shikari. All the songs sound amazing as well. Have a listen:


What about you guys? Is it the same for you? Or do you only care if it's catchy? Or perhaps it's just the meaning a song has, maybe it doesn't matter how catchy it is to you and only meaning matters maybe because you can relate to the song or something.

I'm going to go with both. I need to enjoy listening to how it sounds as well as understanding a song's meaning. I guess it depends on genre or how you're feeling as well. A lot of the time I do just want to listen to a song because it sounds good.

I'm sure we've all got our own definitions of what 'catchy' is though, so discuss.

It can be either one, I don't mind listening to a catchy song or a meaningful song.
Example:
D-Block & S-Te-Fan - LoopMachine (Catchy)

Alphaverb - The Otherside (Meaning)

I can listen to one or the other without preference, So I'm voting for "Both".

I feel like a pleb for say this but, as long as the song is good then I'll listen to it. If the lyrics are deep and meaningful or whatever then that's great, but for me it's all about the music.

I love both. Catchy music is more of a guilty pleasure generally, like most kpop. I listen to alot of metal and electronic music and find that instrumental music can have just as much meaning to me as something with lyrics. I also absolutely love songs/albums that tell storys. I think music is one of the best mediums there are for telling an epic story.

[size=12]it's a mixture of both and that's the best way to describe it for me. though, i will stop listening to a previously catchy song if i don't particularly like its lyrics.

if i had to pick one, i'd have to go with a catchy song - and by catchy i'm referring to a song with a good beat or melody and not just something k-popish - since a song wouldn't grab my attention in the first place unless it had a beat i liked.[/h]

Never liked catchy songs. If all they do is stick to your head like gum then most times they are just annoying.

I hardly pay attention to lyrics honestly. It's a waste of time imo. There's not much to come up with that wasn't done before and most that try end up creating terrible things. Their talent as singers and if their voice is good or not takes precedence over lyrics for me.

I like music that is either new and refreshing, or a nice mixture of the classics. That's why I tend to like old bands and artists better. It's hard to come up with something good that hasn't been done before or use the tried and proven styles without sounding like a complete ripoff. There are some that can, but a small percentage.

Lyrics and rhytym part have the same importance to me
When I listen to the new songs, i pay more attention to
the beats, the instruments that compose the melody...
Once of my liking, is time to got on the lyrics.
Though i listen mostly to instrumental songs some of them acquire a special meaning to me, for example depending on a particular experience, my mood or feelings...

Both are important aspects, but to me, I like the character of the song itself. It doesn't have to be a a super difficult song to play or anything (though the difficulty level of the song affects my scoring), instead it should be something that's different. Something that makes it different from any other songs albeit made by the same band/artist or of the same genre, because only the mind of a true brilliant can create such masterpiece.

Like Blackbird from the Beatles? That song was just a guitar and singing, and it's a classic song itself.

OT: I prefer both. If both are prevalent in a song, then that's fantastic. However, I can listen to songs with either one. Why limit yourself with musical tastes because of these two aspects?

Agreed.

Nah, not like that. It kinda feels like the artistical value of the song, yet at the same time it is not. I can't explain quite well.

Hm, for example, Dance of Eternity by Dream Theater, Man on the Mirror by Tuck Andress, 10,000 Days pt. 2 by Tool, and Dust in the Wind by Kansas.

Why I said Blackbird is because I feel it's simple to understand the lyrics, yet there's more emotional depth with the simple guitar rhythm and singing than a lot of their other songs. It's more accessible to the general audience as well as being artistically well-made. That's how I feel about Blackbird anyways.

But I can understand with the other songs you choose.

Ah, I finally get it. I like songs that is hard to digest by the general population. To me, Blackbird is cool, but I feel like it's lacking something I can't really explain it myself.

Also don't forget Stairway to Heaven. Or Romance de Espana. They're awesome.

I really can't forget Stairway to Heaven; that's classic Zeppelin. However, I'm unfamiliar with Romance de Espana.

If I had to choose one, then it'd be meaningful. I find no appeal in listening to a song once or twice and then having it stuck in my brain for long enough to make me completely despise it. I can't get sick of it in moderation that way, which ruins the entire thing. Since I'm going to get sick of it either way, I'd rather do it by my own standards.

Being the musical enthusiast I consider myself, I say both(or a combo, to be specific), but slightly more leaned toward meaning, although there are a lot of both I like. I also think there's a pretty big middle ground of songs that are both meaningful and catchy, like a lot of The Beatles' music, or game music, for example. In the case of game music, most is pretty catchy, or at least tries to be. But it's also meaningful, in that it's generally used to carry or purvey some sort of emotion.

To give a specific example of someone who I think does both very well, I'd say Frank Zappa.

And some songs:
Frank Zappa- Cocaine Decisions & Nig Biz

I won't bore everyone with a full explanation of the songs meaning's, but they're pretty direct and obvious, and the tune makes it catchy(But I'm likely the only person who'd consider it catchy). I love it when people or groups can do that, writing meaningful lyrics with really catchy music backing them. But to get back on point, I say both(still leaned toward meaning), but best in my opinion is when they're combined, rather than separate.

Both are always nice, but if I had to choose one over the other, I would have to choose the song over the meaning except in pop/hip-hop etc. I will never listen to those just for the song. There are good ones, but the ones that I mainly run into are crap (mainly American Pop). Basically, if the song is in English, it must have a deep meaning. If it is in Japanese it must sound amazing. Usually Japanese has amazing lyrics and instrumentals at the same time.

For me, it's a win-win situation because Utsu-P is a lyrical genius who produces godly riffs and screams while having intensely deep philosophical lyrics (I'm not exaggerating on how deep his songs are) at the same time. Same goes for Yuyoyuppe but his lyrical style is more emotional based. Foreground Eclipse and Undead Corporation have really good instrumentals but if you know the lyrics from FE's songs such as Angels, Monsters, The Secret Lyrics and I'm The Seeker, you wouldn't be listening to them for their lyrics.

Precisely my choice. It allows your imagination to decide what is conveyed through the composed piece of work at the same time being very personal even in case of program music.

As to catchy vs meaningful - if in doubt, choose both.