No study session is complete without a study playlist. Music can relax the body while reviewing for a high-stakes test or drown out noise to focus on homework. In my experience, listening to music while completing schoolwork helps hype me up for the task ahead. Many students have their favorite genres and curated playlists to get them in the zone. But what if your music taste is a tier above everyone else’s, and can only be satisfied by the most oddly specific collection of music? Luckily, YouTube is home to countless weird playlists, sampling many genres, artists, and moods. There is a playlist for absolutely everyone. This article compiles four silly playlists available on YouTube, over five hours of music to get you into the groove. Make sure to add these playlists to your study rotation.
“Cat FM Radio” is a transcendent experience. Let the meows take over your psyche. This video is over three hours of video game soundtrack covers, with a few 80s songs and music from online creators. But all the songs are recreated with a cat synth. Every. Single. Sound. Is a manipulated cat sound effect. The meows become a funky synth keyboard that takes the listener to another plane of existence. It is very easy to get lost in this playlist, only returning to reality after your project is completely finished. There is also another version of “Cat FM Radio” made by user That Random Guy that splices in cat-themed bumpers and ads to give that authentic radio experience.
“𓆜 | playlist to be a shark” completely changed how I perceive sharks. Usually, ‘shark music’ equals the Jaws theme. But not here. Shark music is Japanese Bossa Nova. You read that right. User ‘blewoo’ has compiled a selection of Japanese Bossa Nova. Gentle vocals over playful drums and keyboard create an easy, welcoming vibe like tropical mall music or gliding under the open ocean. Now, listening to this playlist will in fact turn you into a shark. For example, when it comes to homework, we are apex predators, but internally, we are calm, gentle giants, weightless in the water and bathed in the sunlight. Obviously, sharks are nowhere as scary as we have been led to believe. Become one yourself with this playlist.
“between the stars with silly playlist” is like floating in orbit, gently grasping a star. The songs on this playlist use xylophones and bells to give a dreamy listening experience, and the bit-crushed, chip-tuned synths shoot us up into space. User Rita Wild has gleaned a soundscape like that of the original Animal Crossing on the GameCube, or Super Mario Galaxy for the Wii. In my opinion, very nostalgic and comforting. This playlist is excellent for relaxing but with extra cutesy flare. As you listen to this playlist, feel yourself take off from your anxieties and troubles. Surely, studying seems small when you’re on the moon? Now, you can blaze through your readings like a shooting star.
“A Weekend in Moscow With Your Buddies” is a time machine. This playlist created by user ‘ultravclet’ transports the listener back to Russia in the late 80s, with commenters on the playlist attesting to how this takes them back to their childhood in the country. With criminal 80s synths and Russian vocals, A Weekend in Moscow With Your Buddies is bound to have you dancing in your chair. The types of songs vary from new wave synths to dramatic ballads, so this playlist will accompany you through the epic highs and lows of studying for midterms.
Four unique collections of music, all with great potential as study buddies. From cats to sharks, to space, to Russia, one of these YouTube playlists must have struck a chord. Be sure to put one on the next time you settle down to tackle an essay, math questions, or whatever assignment college throws your way. And if you liked what you heard, be sure to check out the creators’ channels for even more silly playlists to have up your sleeve.