Are you finding it hard to concentrate on your work because you find your mind wandering or distracted by unwanted noise? A great solution to remain focused, relaxed and productive is to listen to ambient music. Many research studies have suggested that listening to music you enjoy can reduce stress and test anxiety while improving focus and brain function.
Lo-fi is a genre of ambient music that uses elements of hip hop and jazz with repetition to create a soothing effect. The acronym “lo-fi” is short for “low fidelity,” in which there are imperfections and technical flaws in the recording. These imperfections in sound quality, such as fuzziness, are soothing to our ears and stimulate our brains to focus as it picks out the difference in sounds. Many songs use limited vocals, providing fewer distractions. Over time, lo-fi has risen in popularity, especially from the creation of many curated YouTube playlists— the most popular one being “Lofi hip hop radio – beats to study/relax to” by user ChilledCow. The video has garnered over 200 million views with 6.3M followers. Listening to lo-fi music can help enhance your concentration on a subject and increase productivity. Below is a list of my favorite artists and song recommendations from lo-fi artists I love!
1. Jhove
2. potsu
3. In Love With a Ghost
- We’ve Never Met But Can We Have A Cup Of Coffee or Something
- Flowers
- Sorry for Not Answering the Phone I’m Too Busy Trying to Fly Away
- I was Feeling Down, Then I Found a Nice Witch and Now We’re Best Friends
- something easy
4. frad
5. Monma
Make sure to share with us your favorite music to study with and tag us on Instagram @HerCampusSJSU!