Lyricism and Engagement in Music among Young Adults

Authors:

Ms. Hizana Fayaz & Ms. Deena Dixon

Pages: 39-49

Abstract:

In a world which is constantly evolving and changing at a rapid pace, music also has seen various changes as compared to the music that was produced before. In a time when young adults, in particular, have to adapt to the changing times, understanding the role that music plays in their lives becomes important as well. Especially during a time, when digital media is on the rise, and music has become one of the tools to engage individuals, not to mention its ability to influence mood shows its importance. How they engage as well as perceive music, how they perceive lyrical content that they feel is meaningful and relatable to them and if the listening habits and music choices of these individuals are influenced by the lyrical content is looked into in this study. The significance of these lyrics in their lives is also looked upon. Qualitative research design was used in order to get deeper insights into the individuals' experiences as well as preferences towards music. Through means of convenient sampling method, responses of seven participants who were 18 to 25 years of age, were considered for the study, ensuring that they did not have any neurological or other medical conditions. Semistructured interviews were conducted where both open-ended as well as close-ended questions were asked. This helped in obtaining more detailed responses from the participants. Further, thematic analysis was done and themes and codes were identified. Findings revealed most participants leaning towards lyrical content that was relatable as well as meaningful to them, while few mentioned listening to certain songs for their rhythm or “feel” alone.