If you’re like me, you love to listen to music while you study. It helps to achieve the perfect level of focus and tunes out the rest of the world. However, while music does tend to make you happier while you’re studying, if you’re not listening to the right music, it can distract you and make you worse off. You have to listen to good-quality music that isn’t too catchy or pumped-up, or else your study session may turn into a singing one. So, in my opinion, here is the best music to listen to while you’re studying!
- Pink Floyd
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I don’t know what type of music you’re into, but I love classic rock. I know normally when you hear “rock” you may think of Queen, AC/DC, or Guns N’ Roses; however, there is more to classic rock than just those three artists — they barely scratch the surface. Pink Floyd is an amazing band to listen to while you’re studying. If you don’t know them, that’s even better; if you don’t know the words, chances are you won’t be singing along, and you’ll spend more time actually studying. Their music can be heavily instrumental at times, which can really help you focus. My favourite Pink Floyd albums for studying are Obscured by Clouds and The Dark Side of the Moon. Definitely give those a listen the next time you’re studying!
- Contemporary/Modern
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Another type of music that really helps me zone in while I’m studying is a playlist full of slower and softer songs, but they’re not so slow and soft that they put you to sleep. Without even knowing it, you’ll find yourself finishing up the last words of an essay with your head bopping to the beat of the music. This playlist contains a vast variety of music; some artists with multiple songs on this playlist are Ed Sheeran and Billie Eilish, just to give you a sort of vibe. And, taking it back to 2014 when The Fault In Our Stars movie came out, there are several songs from that album. This playlist is perfect for studying late at night for exams and final assignments; it’ll keep you alert enough so you don’t nosedive into your textbook!
- Classical Music
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For this next one, I know that most people from our generation don’t typically listen to classical music; however, countless studies have proven that your brain actually absorbs more information when you’re listening to classical music. Even music that is just instrumental (like piano music) is also excellent; the lack of lyrics helps your mind stay focused.
- Soundtracks
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It can also be helpful to study to movie soundtracks. I know, it’s not really what you think of when you imagine studying, but a lot of movie soundtracks are really instrumental and have the same vibe or mood, so as not to have you bouncing to the beat during one song and feeling solemn the next. This technique works great for a friend of mine; her go-to soundtracks are The Lord of the Rings and Pride and Prejudice, so definitely give those a try.
- New Alternative
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This is another one of my favourites to study to, especially if I’m studying in a group because they’re not wild enough to get a party started; instead, they’re soft and calm. This genre doesn’t have wildly popular music, but enough people know these songs that they’ll want to hear them while they study, too. This music will help you focus and keep you in a good mood; I find that when I study listening to this music, I actually enjoy studying more. I really like this playlist; it’s an awesome mix. Some major contributors to this playlist are Wallows and The Lumineers.
And there you have it. The next time you’re studying, especially during exam season, give any of these playlists a listen, and I’m sure one of them will click with you and help you remain on task. After all, who doesn’t want to spend hours listening to great music while having the time of their life studying?