When settling down for a long study session, many students open up YouTube or a similar music or streaming app to find something to listen to. The action of finding music to listen to can take more time than the study session itself due to either procrastination or actually struggling to make a song selection. There are many different kinds of music, all with different backgrounds,  styles, tempos, and extra sounds, and in this story, I plan to outline the pros and cons of each major type of study music while also giving tips for picking the best for each task.

Lofi:

Lofi music focuses on mellow beats and technical elements mixed with jazz or hip hop. The genre consists of no or minimal lyrics, often making it ideal for focusing. This is possibly the most common type of study music, often accompanied by a relaxing animation.

With its lack of lyrics, Lofi enhances focus. Its slower beats keep energy low, while the technical elements prevent drifting off. The only downside is that sometimes, sudden song shifts can jolt a person into a moment of distraction, but the simple pattern can often bring them back into their work.

Lofi takes the top spot because of its effectiveness in keeping students engaged in their work, providing light stimulation to the brain while not being distracting. There are hundreds of videos, many happening live with other students, that are easy to find. Along with the variety in the genre of how slow and how technical, it isn’t hard to see why this genre takes the top spot.

Classical:

Studying while listening to classical music may make a person feel like they are working in an old library, romanticizing the process. It also has no lyrics, meaning fewer distractions and a deeper focus. Many studies have been done about classical music, most showing it has incredible benefits for cognitive function.

The only challenge comes to finding the specific music to listen to. Most people are not as familiar with classical artists as they might be with other, more popular forms of music. With such a wide variety, it might be difficult to find types that work for each individual. Luckily, there are a great amount of playlists available with all sorts of different vibes, and students can make their way through a few to find their favorite.

Study with me:

“Study with me” videos are common on platforms such as YouTube where a creator films themselves studying along with often music, background noise, and timers. This can create a sense of comradery between the online student and the viewer, as well as offer “body doubling” where a person feels compelled to do tasks because of the pressure when watching someone else be productive.

The issue with “study with me” videos is the fact that in order to feel the benefits, the student must be watching their screen. This rarely works in practice, as with reading, writing, or typing, the eyes must be on the task at hand. A way to achieve the same benefits of watching a “study with me” video without the distraction of a screen is to invite a friend to study together in person.

Background noises:

While some might appreciate the sound of a fire crackling or rain falling, to me it is just distracting. These added sounds can range from nature to a cafe to anything a person might find helps them set the mood, but the point of studying is not to be aesthetically pleasing, it’s to study. Many of these noises are actually distracting and can make it more likely to drift off.

Instead of using fake sounds to try and set a mood, a student should find a place where the natural sounds match their intended vibe. By actually studying at a cafe or in a library, there is less of a likelihood to lose focus, while still achieving the aesthetic appeal and avoiding dead silence.

Honorable Mention: Pomodoro:

Pomodoro, while not a type of music, is a common feature of many study videos. It means a certain time on and a certain time off, often 20 minutes and five minutes or 50 minutes and 10 minutes. It can pair with any other major type of study music to create a wide variety of break-based videos.

While pomodoro might be a great option for students in need of constant breaks, I often find that it hinders truly productive work. The constant on and off is a barrier to deep work, as a person may get very motivated to begin a project, and then quickly have to stop due to their timer. It could also not match up time wise with the end of a task, where if someone is nearly finished they might ignore their break to complete their work.

For the students who do require constant rest, a better option is task-based breaks paired with specific activities. For instance, setting a goal like “when I finish these three paragraphs I’ll go for a walk” or “when I read twenty pages I’ll make lunch.” This continues the benefits of preventing burnout while avoiding interruption and having real, beneficial brain breaks.