How to Choose Music for Studying

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Explore this ArticleFinding the Best Study SongsListening to Your Study MusicQuestions & AnswersRelated ArticlesReferences

Not only can listening to music make studying less boring, but it can also potentially help you retain the information better. However, not all music will help you concentrate when you're studying. The key is to find the right kind of music that will fade into the background and not distract you.

Method1

Finding the Best Study Songs

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   Choose music without lyrics for studying. While you might usually prefer to listen to songs with lyrics, it’s best to go with lyric-free songs when you’re studying. Lyrics can be distracting, especially when you know them and can sing along. By listening to songs that are lyric-free, you can focus more on your studies and less on the music.^[1]

   • If you have a song that you really like to study to that has lyrics, try looking up the instrumental version of it.
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   Listen to monotonous, relaxing music. Fast-paced songs with lots of varying tones and pitches can be distracting when you’re trying to study. You want songs that fade into the background, not songs that grab your attention. Look for songs that are slow and relatively monotone — if a song makes you want to dance or hum along, it’s probably too upbeat for studying. ^[2]

   • Spa music is a great kind of relaxing music you can listen to while studying. Or, if you prefer something with a bit more substance, try smooth jazz.
   • Nature sounds, like birds chirping or rain falling, can also be good to have on in the background during a study session.
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   Try listening to classical music. Some studies show that listening to classical music while studying can actually help you retain the information better. Most classical music doesn’t have lyrics, so there’s less chance of it being a distraction. However, you should still avoid upbeat, fast-paced songs. Piano ballads and slow symphonies are good choices for studying.^[3]

   • "Piano Concerto No. 23" by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart could be a good song to study to.
   • You could also try "Air on a G String" by Johann Sebastian Bach.
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   Listen to low tempo electronic music if you don’t like classical. Similarly to classical music, low tempo electronic music can provide nice background noise for studying. Look for electronic music that doesn’t have lyrics or intense variations. You want monotonous songs that fade into the background while you’re studying.^[4]
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   Try music from around the world if you want something new and unfamiliar. It can be easier to get distracted by songs that are familiar — whether it's the lyrics, instruments, or beat — since you can sing and dance along. One way to avoid familiar music is to listen to music from a different part of the world that you normally don’t listen to. Music from other regions can include different instruments, languages, and structures that might be less distracting to you when you’re studying.

   • For example, you could search online for “Irish folk music," "South African music," or "Caribbean music."
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   Save upbeat, motivational music for your breaks. Upbeat, fast-paced music can actually help motivate you when you’re on a break. After listening to a couple of your favorite songs, you’ll feel more ready to jump back into your studies. Just make sure you switch back to lyric-free, relaxing music once you start studying again.^[5]

   • Avoid songs that are too catchy or you might find yourself singing them in your head when you get back to studying.

Method2

Listening to Your Study Music

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   Make a playlist before you start studying. Making a playlist beforehand will prevent you from getting distracted during your study session. You’ll have a hard time focusing if you keep having to change songs and look for new music. Put together a playlist of your study songs on your phone or computer. Then, you just have to press play when you’re ready to start studying.^[6]

   • If you don’t own songs to make a playlist with, you can make your own playlist on Spotify without owning the songs.
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   Play your music at medium to low volume. It should be playing in the background while you’re studying. If the music is too loud, it will be harder to concentrate. If you find yourself having a hard time reading or writing with the music playing, it could be a sign that it’s too loud.^[7]
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   Avoid using headphones to listen to your music if possible. While headphones are convenient if you’re studying in a library, they make it easier to get distracted by the music you’re listening to. With headphones in, it’s harder for the music to fade into the background. If you have to use headphones, try to keep the volume down as low as possible.
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   Change the song if you feel yourself getting distracted. If you’re listening to a song and you notice that you’re humming along, tapping your fingers, or dancing in your chair, it’s a sign that you’re being distracted. If you’re focused enough on a song to be doing these things, you probably aren’t retaining the information you’re studying. Change the song to something less engaging.

   • Keep track of what songs distract you. Over time, you’ll learn what kind of music you study the best too.

Community Q&A

• Question

  How do I know that music is right for me or won't distract me?

  Brian Salazar-Prince

  Top Answerer

  The short answer is that you don't know until you try it. With that being said, if the music is distracting you, it's likely either the volume or the style of music. Research repeatedly shows that students who study with light music in the background and then listen to the same music upon assessment of the material being studied tend to perform better, because the music helps to more fully engage the brain and promotes content recall.

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