If you are a student like me, there’s a high chance that you already googled “what are the ways to improve study habits?” If so, most search results include listening to music. Unfortunately, not all types of music we listen to can help us get an A score for our exam.
But worry no more because there is a music genre that is effective when it comes to improving our study habits. But take note that my study habit is different than yours. There’s no one-size-fits-all here. In other words, the music genre I am listening to might not work effectively on you.
There are lots of things we need to consider when listening to music for our studies. One of them is the volume. Listening to very loud music could distract us rather than keep us focused and relaxed.
Luckily, the internet offers users a large selection of music genres that are believed to enhance their motivation and concentration. This will always depend on our personal choices, but I highly recommend you listen to the music genres listed below.
Best music to listen while studying
Chill or Ambient
This music genre is quite broad. It covers electronic dance music, atmospheric music, and slow sounds. Many teenagers and college students have been fond of listening to electronic music for the past few years. What’s good is that most of the songs included in electronic music are known to improve our studying habits.
So, if you are also like me, who feel more motivated and inspired every time I listen to electronic music, I highly recommend you to download or add electronic songs to your playlists!
Classical
No one should underestimate how powerful classical songs are. When hearing the term “retro,” what’s the first thing that comes to your mind? Probably not the songs made centuries ago. Most of you may not be a great fan of classical music. But did you know that it provides numerous benefits, especially for students?
Listening to classical music could boost sleep patterns as well as reduce stress. If you ask which classical composer I would suggest, Mozart could be great because I believe it gives off the Mozart Effect, which is perfect for students preparing for their examinations.
According to some experts, music created by Mozart is believed to boost a student’s mental ability. But a number of studies disprove this claim. On the other hand, this does not mean that listening to Mozart music is just a waste of time. Sometimes, you may find something in this sound that will undoubtedly inspire you.
Other students said that they could focus even better while listening to music with simple instruments, while some claim that they study well with a full orchestra playing in their background. As a college student, I think experimenting with the music you’re listening to is a great way to find what’s works best.
Spotify and YouTube have a number of classical playlists you may listen to.
Jazz
Many misunderstood jazz as a music genre. Most think that jazz is all about loud and big sounds made by musicians who want to outperform their competitors. Of course, jazz is a genre that focuses on complex and roaring music. But, we can’t deny that it also gave us hundreds of mellow tracks.
Two of the most popular jazz music creators, John Coltrane and Miles Davis, have recorded their lower-tempo music, which is calm enough to relax a student while studying.
Just like classical songs, most of you might think that listening to jazz music is boring. Well, this could be an advantage as you won’t have any reasons to get distracted. Remember, listening to music that does not engage you that much will help you to stay focused. In line with that, I highly suggest you listen to a list of jazz music and find what suits you.
Nature Sound
Personally, I comprehend my notes even better when I study in a stress-free and relaxing setting. One of the best things we can do to feel like we are in nature and reading our books is to listen to nature’s sound.
YouTube and Spotify offer several nature sounds, including the sound of birds in the woods and gentle rainfall. The sound of nature is something that every student can get lost in. Since nature produces less distracting sounds, there’s a high possibility that students will respond to these sounds better.
Aside from that, looking for or making a nature playlist can be done within seconds. In just a single YouTube search, you can find a natural sound that can last for more than eight hours. Within that time, you can start browsing your notes and begin studying.
Instrumental Rock
As of the moment, most of you have already noticed a pattern. I highly recommend students listen to sounds with minimal lyrics because they are less distractive. That is why one of the music genres I usually listen to is post-rock or instrumental sounds.
If you are looking for a band that produces world-class instrumental music, you should go and search for Polyphia and the Explosions in the Sky. Other bands that also experimented with instrumental sounds include Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. YouTube offers a few kinds of music on this track, but Spotify could offer you millions of instrumental songs.
Conclusion
As mentioned, we have different tastes in music. Thus, our response to sound is different. I may find a specific genre appealing for studying, but others may find it distracting. Some students also prefer to study with no sound at all.
That being said, I highly recommend you create a playlist of the music genre that you find useful. If your mind becomes more focused by listening to the heavy metal sound, then create that kind of playlist. When we have an on-the-go playlist, we don’t need to spend much of our time browsing the internet to find a playlist that suits our taste.
Those were my top recommendations for the best music genres you should listen to when trying to improve your study habits or just want to focus on something.
