I used to dislike singing in music. I mostly listen to electronic music and honestly I found the sound design much more interesting. Nowadays that has shifted though. I’m more connected to and aware of my emotions. Sometimes I need music with the same energy as I used to love, but with some nice vocals to match my emotions. Nowadays it’s more of a mix, buy my taste is still faster and harder than most people.

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.

Sometimes I prefer it, yes.

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

I’m not sure why the need to draw a firm distinction between the two. I’m quite focused on lyrics if they’re present and in a language I understand. I’m not fussed if they aren’t.

If you find the music in some way engaging, that’s enough. Denigrating other music as in some way lesser than your preferred genre is odd.

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.

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.

Yes but only because most lyrics are simple rhyming slop.

depends of what platform its being played, like as a ost on a show, or a game, and only in ochestra. other instruments combined makes it better.

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

Sometimes I do prefer instrumental music for the exact reasons you described. It lets me focus on the music itself instead of music and lyrics simultaneously. If it’s minimalistic enough, I’ll have it playing as I read too. Other times I want something fun to sing along to, or to hear lyrics that resonate with me in certain moods. Almost every form of music has its appeal.

It’s due to auditory processing issues

IMO, the more verbal and sentimental you are, the more you’ll enjoy words in your music. On the other hand, if you’re more appreciative of the ‘mechanical’ nature of the world, you’ll probably prefer fewer words.

Good examples would be Latin American/Mediterranean romantic ballads on one end and Western classical music/ Germanic rock/Swedish electronic music on the other, with funky lyrical jazz like Jamiroquai and Japanese city-pop somewhere in the middle.

Remember Gangnam Style?