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I've posted a list here of a selection of some of my favorite recordings of songs that were written during or before the "golden age of piracy" circa 1630-1730, but there are many thousands upon thousands of surviving songs and ballads of the era that can be found in places like the English broadside ballad archive for the 17th century and this English songbook published from 1698 to 1720.

Benerson Little who is I think one of the best pirate historians writes:

Music was a vital part of life at sea, and musicians were invariably among the crew: fiddlers, Jew’s harpers, pipers, drummers, and trumpeters. Seamen, or at least the French, also composed and sang songs, often humorous (even making fun of officers). (The Sea Rover's Practice, 92).

Sailors would have sung popular ballads but it certainly wasn't just sailors who sang them. The popularity of broadside ballads and songbooks in the era is a testament to the fact that people everywhere liked to sing and liked to collect catchy songs so they could learn to sing them themselves. Before any recorded music was a thing, that's what people had to do if they wanted to listen to music, and people have always liked music. There are many accounts of pirates becoming extremely drunk after capturing a cargo of alcohol, and we can assume that is certainly a time when many would have drunkenly sung songs. One account of this comes from a ships crew of mostly former pirates drunkenly carousing in the Bahamas in 1718, who, led by one Dennis Macarty, mutinied and afterward turned to piracy. The pirates who led the mutiny seem to have been less drunk than the rest but they feigned drunkenness and distraction by singing a song before they attacked the captain on a signal:

As they were disputing upon this Matter, Dennis Macarty stole off, and with some of his Associates seiz'd upon the great Cabin where all the Arms lay: At the same Time several of the Men, began to sing a Song, with these Words, "Did you not promise me, that you would marry me" (which it seems was the Signal agreed upon among the Conspirators for seizing the Ship); Bunce no sooner heard them, but he cry'd out aloud, "By God that will I, for I am Parson," and struck Mr. Carr again several Blows with his own Sword; Mr. Carr and Turnley both seiz'd him, and they began to struggle, when Dennis Macarty, with several others, return'd from the Cabin with each a Cutlass in one Hand, and a loaded Pistol in the other, and running up to them said, "What; do the Governor's Dogs offer to resist?" And beating Turnley and Carr with their Cutlasses, threaten'd to shoot them: At the same Time firing their Pistols close to their Cheeks, upon which Turnley and Carr begged their lives.

Other times more repetitive "work songs" may have been sung. The satirical book Gargantua and Pentagruel by the French writer Francois Rablais published 1546 has this dialogue between two sailors referencing a sort of simple heaving chant:

'Heave, heave!'

'That's right. Heave, in God's name, heave, heave!'

I shall fear nothing to-day,

For to-day's a holiday.

Noel, Noel, Noel!

'That's a fine shanty,' said Epistemon. 'It's not far out either. For to-day is a holiday. I like it.'

'Heave, heave! Good!'

As noted, instruments were also used. Ships during the 17th-18th centuries often had a dedicated musician or two aboard who would play while the sailors worked or for entertainment during leisure time. Fiddlers seem to have been especially popular and musicians in general were valued specifically for their role, so much so that they sometimes had disabilities that prevented them from doing other work (like the stereotypical ship's cook), and the pirate articles of Bartholomew Roberts grant musicians a special day of rest on Sunday. For an example of the former, the HMS Bounty known for its famed mutiny in 1789 had a blind Irish fiddler named Michael Byrne onboard. For an example of the latter, article XI of Roberts' articles drawn up in 1720 states:

XI. The Musicians to have Rest on the Sabbath Day, but the other six Days and Nights, none without special Favour [although it should be noted that regular pirates sometimes took the day off on Sunday as well; not because they were very religious, but it was their custom, so this rule merely seems to specify that musicians can't be forced to play while the others rest]. (A General History, 212)

Another account of pirates and music comes from the memoirs of the Frenchman Jacob du Bucquoy who was captured by the pirate John Taylor off the coast of Madagascar in 1721:

At sea, duties are carried out in an orderly fashion, better even than on the ships of the India Company; the pirates take great pride in this. They exercise continually at target practice and at scrimmaging with wooden sabres or rapiers. Meanwhile their musicians play such melodies that the days pass most agreeably. They eat but once a day and always with a good appetite, for hunger makes the best cook; they are usually short of rations.

The slave-trader William Snelgrave who was captured by the pirates Howell Davis, Thomas Cocklynn and Olivier La Buse off the west coast of Africa in 1719, gives another account briefly mentioning musicians and a captured trumpeter who was forced to play for the pirates while they ate supper:

After we had been some time on board his Ship, Supper was brought up about eight a clock in the Evening; and the Musik was ordered to play, amongst which was a Trumpeter, that had been forced to enter out of one of the Prizes. (267)

Much earlier, in 1686, the buccaneer writer William Dampier gives an account of how in the Philippines after having sailed across the Pacific (from where they had raided the Spanish coasts of Central and South America) the buccaneers were entertained by the native governor-general of Mindanao, Raja Laut, who put on a dance performance for the buccaneers while they ate. In response, the buccaneer captain Charles Swan sent for his men and fiddlers to put on a performance, and one man in particular stood out:

Captain Swan, to retaliate the General's Favours, sent for his Violins, and some that could dance English Dances; wherewith the General was very well pleased. They commonly spent the greatest part of the Night in these sort of Pastimes.

Among the rest of our Men that did use to dance thus before the General, there was one John Thacker, who was a Seaman bred, and could neither write nor read; but had formerly learnt to dance in the Musick-houses about Wapping: This Man came into the South-Seas with Captain Harris, and getting with him a good Quantity of Gold, and being a pretty good Husband of his Share, had still some left, besides what he laid out in a very good Suit of Clothes. The General supposed by his Garb and his dancing, that he had been of noble Extraction; and to be satisfy'd of his Quality, asked of one of our Men, if he did not guess aright of him? The Man of whom the General asked this Question told him, he was much in the right; and that most of our Ship's Company were of the like Extraction ... (Dampier, 246)

Even earlier, in 1668, the crew of the Irish pirate and mutineer George Cusack is recorded as singing a possibly fanciful song:

The Boat with seven men forced to Sea, being concluded without fail lost, this merry Crew often drunk to them in Hell, though indeed they had more reason to conclude it nearer to themselves, which they were far enough from having any apprehension of, witness their daily Song, and their drunken bouts, which was

Hang sorrow, let's cast away care,

the World is bound to find us:

Thou and I, and all must die,

And leave this World behind us.

The Bell shall ring, the Clark shall sing,

The Good old Wife shall wind us.

The Sexton shall lay our Bodies in Clay

Where the Devil in Hell shall find us. (From an account published in 1675 after Cusack was hanged)