I think most adventuring companies and sellswords would welcome a grumpy general over some fop with a lute.
ummm
no, they would welcome a competent sword arm over incompetence.
if your warlord is lvl 1, and the fop with the lute is lvl 5 and the mercenaries are all lvl 7+ who do you think they will take??
the correct answer is, most likely the bard, but they could take both.
and the bab is the same for all classes in this edition, and the bard is the arcane leader so.......
anyway
the bard sings at the pc's funeral , and the warlord just says a few kind words.....
id rather have the bard anyday, especially if they can still get spells and heal spells.