October 4, 2021

Graphic by CJ Christy

Has the thought of sitting down to study ever made you want to cry? I still haven’t worked that one out, but if you’re looking for great study music to ease your stressful study sessions, look no further! Study music is a great way to make the daunting task of a study session easier to get through.  

Though, not all music is suitable for studying. Unfortunately, some music has shown to hinder the studying process rather than help. In order for a song or album to work as study music, it needs to meet the following criteria.

No words. Studies show that listening to music with words decreases your academic ability. While this may sound disappointing, this stipulation provides the opportunity to listen to music you may have never listened to otherwise. 

Not too distracting. Ideal study music should not be in the foreground of your brain. The music should serve to elevate the general vibe of the room. Certain music, like metal or trap, can be difficult to listen to without your brain being constantly distracted. Think of it this way: freshly baked chocolate chip cookies may smell better than an essential oils diffuser, but the diffuser won’t distract you from your work. 

Give a sense of time spent. For me, listening to new music is much more distracting than listening to music I’ve heard before. As such, my ideal study music is familiar. As you become more familiar with an album or piece of music, you’ll associate parts of the album with a certain duration of time. This allows the music to act as a non-distracting timer for how long you’ve been working. How is this useful? This allows you to set goals like “I won’t stop working until X song arrives.” 

Set an appropriate vibe. People often change the music they listen to depending on their mood. The same thing can be done with study music. Sometimes for your study session, you need music that helps with a certain “itch.” Are you feeling tired? Pick energetic beats to wake you up. Are you feeling stressed? Pick music that calms you down. Are you feeling bored? Pick music that creates a unique, interesting vibe. 

Need some examples? Here are great albums for studying separated by vibe.

Energetic – “Richard D. James Album” by Aphex Twin. 

Aphex Twin is a British electronic artist, often described as one of the most innovative and influential electronic artists of all time. Any Aphex Twin album is great study music, but my favorite is his 1996 album “Richard D. James Album.” This album creates so many different crunchy, bouncy and lively soundscapes from song to song. The percussion is especially pointed, giving my brain constant defibrillation in the best way possible. This album is also just under 45 minutes long, which makes working for the entire album a totally feasible goal. The record incorporates a variety of moods, from the chaos of “Peek 824545201” to the melancholy of “Girl/Boy Song,” to the foreboding of “Logan Rock Witch.” If you want a dynamic, invigorating album, check this one out. This might be my most listened to album of all time. 

Moody – “Replica” by Oneohtrix Point Never.

Oneohtrix Point Never’s “Replica” is an exercise in “plunderphonics.” This genre uses sampling like an instrument, and this record takes samples largely from commercials in the 80s and 90s. The effect is the musical embodiment of 3 a.m. The mood of “Replica” feels like an all-nighter in a good way — dreamy, distorted and just a little off. These tracks are simple, but create such a unique vibe. This record is great for when you’re in the middle of a long study session and you feel like every moment blurs together; this is the music that represents that feeling. If you are already tired, this might not be the record for the moment. But, if you want to experience that childhood sleepover Disney Channel Original Movie vibe, this is the record for you.  

Serene – “Ambient 1: Music for Airports” by Brian Eno.

Brian Eno’s “Ambient 1: Music for Airports” is the most relaxing piece of music I have ever heard. This record is the first to be self-identified as “ambient” music. Eno coined the term himself, describing the genre as being “as ignorable as it is interesting.” All four tracks are at least nine minutes long and contain subtle changes throughout. My favorite track “1/1” is structured around a single simple piano loop, yet the song remains engaging and interesting through the entire 17 minute, 22 second runtime. This album is perfect for when you have a lot of work to do that you are stressing about. If you find yourself in that situation, sit down, play this album and get to work. Prepare for an auditory massage. 

Edited by Elise Mulligan, emulligan@themaneater.com

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