Non-lyrical music rarely ever gets the recognition it deserves. With many different types of non-lyrical music, differing from electronic to instrumental, I believe that anyone can find music in this genre that they like to listen to.
When I was younger, I used to make fun of my brother’s music taste as he primarily listens to music without lyrics, but now I find that mine is becoming more similar to his as my music taste develops. I also have a close friend that listens to non-lyrical music, and being around both of them continued to pique my interest. Before these interactions, I was skeptical about non-lyrical music, because I associated it with things like symphony orchestras and other older works that were not as captivating to me personally.
I now appreciate non-lyrical music, because it’s easier to listen to while completing another task, rather than music with words that may be distracting. It’s a nice way to add to productivity, without taking away from the task you are on. It’s often more calming to listen to music that has no lyrics.
I think that non-lyrical music is a great way to bring people together, similar to how it may be enjoyed in a space like a coffee shop. Having no lyrics allows all age groups to listen to it as there is no profanity or inappropriate language.
Non-lyrical music is unique because it doesn’t use words but has to still convey the emotion in which words would. While I was thinking about this music, I became curious about whether or not the names were just there with little meaning, or if they accurately portrayed the song. Over the summer, my friend and I would skip through songs that didn’t have any lyrics, and we told each other what we thought the album cover looked like, and what story we thought it conveyed. I think it’s neat that although we often come up with a similar narrative in our heads, that non-lyrical music can be easily manipulated to fit one’s unique personality or ideas, since there are no definitive lyrics telling you how you should feel or interpret the song.
One day last year I happened upon a non-lyrical artist called Million Eyes. Oftentimes, I will enjoy a few good songs that artists have, and make a playlist that way, but after listening to a few songs, I became obsessed with all of the songs across the albums. I find that although the songs are different, there is often a recurring theme or instrument that ties them all together. Due to the fact that I listen to a large variety of music in my day to day life, I was shocked when I opened my Spotify Wrapped for 2023, and saw that Million Eyes was my most listened to artist.
Some recommendations I have for people that want to try to get into non-lyrical music is to listen to music that is from a favorite movie or reminds you of something from your childhood. One song I like in particular is “Bundle of Joy” from “Inside Out”, because it is so nostalgic. For people who like storms, finding songs with rain in them are really great for creating a comforting mood. Some of my other favorites that I feel don’t fall under these categories are “New Home” by Austin Farwell, “See you tomorrow” by Evgeny Grinko, “Big Country” by Emile Mosseri, “Underwater Wonderscapes” by Frederic Bernard and “Sweet Berry Wine” by Blue Wednesday.
