The title is a question I've often wondered ... especially as a young lad growing up, I played many instruments in various types of band from orchestra to rock .... including singing in a choir to our now king.
When I listen to music, yes I hear the "overall feel" and the song has to be great / something I want to listen to ... but I'm also blown away by a great guitar riff, incredible vocal , amazing bass line or when the brass section kick in and pick out all the instruments.
I think this is part of the reason I enjoy a reasonable level of equipment to be able to clearly hear the individual instruments clearly.
My wife isn't at all musical, she either enjoys "a song" or she doesn't and would never pick out one instrument and as long as a stereo sounds "OK" she's happy with it.
My best friend growing up didn't play an instrument and we'd be listening to music and I'd be "wow that bass line's amazing" .... whooosh he just didn't get it.
We went to different schools and didn't see him for a while, he started playing drums then guitar, listening to music with him 1.5 years later and he was "wow the keyboards on that were amazing" ... he suddenly got it.
Just interested to see what percentage of people on here (assuming most regular visitors are HiFi enthusiasts) are musicians but possibly even more interested to hear if you're not and what you listen to / for if you're in the audio enthusiast sphere?