Wouldn’t it be great if tuning into your favorite playlist helped you to knock out that algebra problem or memorize all those dates for your American history exam? Unfortunately, tuning into Spotify isn’t quite that powerful. But research does show that music produces several positive effects on your body, including reducing stress, easing test anxiety, and improving your performance in high-pressure situations like final exams.
Better yet, if you’re struggling to concentrate as you do your homework, a Stanford study has found that music helps you focus. So, can music help you study and focus?
Key Takeaways: Can Music Help You Study and Focus?
- Music can boost focus and memory: By engaging both hemispheres of the brain and promoting relaxation, helping reduce stress and test anxiety.
- The best study music is usually instrumental: Classical, lo-fi, ambient, jazz, or nature sounds, since lyrics often compete for your attention.
- Match music to the task: Quiet sounds for reading or math, rhythmic beats for memorization, and upbeat tunes for creative work.
- Experiment and adapt: Your ideal study sound depends on your learning style and task complexity; sometimes, silence is best.
- Control your sound environment: Keep music low, avoid ads, and use playlists or apps designed for focus to prevent distractions.
The Potential of Music
“Music activates both the left and right brain at the same time, and the activation of both hemispheres can maximize learning and improve memory,” says Dr. Masha Godkin, a professor in the Department of Marriage and Family Sciences at National University.
Music has a profound effect on our mood, blood pressure, and heart rate. “Music has the potential to take a person from the Beta brainwave state to deeper Alpha, and then Theta brainwave states, depending on the music,” she says. For the best music to focus and study, choose songs that keep you awake but won’t cause you to dance to the beat.
Instead of relying on the radio or a random mix on Pandora or Spotify, it can help to create a playlist of the best study music for concentration. You can plan a set amount of uninterrupted music, which serves as a built-in timer for studying. When the music is up, you’ve earned a break.
Top Music Genres for Studying
Everyone’s taste in music is different, but when it comes to creating the best study music playlist, here are some genres and tips to consider.
Go Classical: You may not want to go to a symphony concert, but the soothing sounds of classical orchestra music seem to increase mood and productivity, which makes it great for studying.
Spa Music: Ambient sounds that you would expect to hear on a soundtrack during a spa treatment can help you relax
Nature Sounds: Like ambient music, the sounds of babbling brooks, birds, wind, and rain are very calming and make great background noise. You can even create your own mix with websites like Noisli.
EDM/Dance Music: New Age and ambient EDM music are a good choice for those who don’t like classical. Any music with little to no lyrics is best.
Lofi Hip Hop: This low-key, unobtrusive type of music is perfect for studying because it incorporates a low BPM, natural sounds, and often doesn’t have lyrics.
Jazz: Listening to jazz can boost creativity and reduce stress, the arch enemy of memory ability. Try searching for mellow or chill jazz for optimal concentration
Ambiance playlists: There’s been an explosion of videos and playlists designed to bring the right ambiance into your space. From a “fall coffee shop bookstore” with mellow jazz to a “cozy cabin ambiance” with rain and fireplace sounds, there’s bound to be something to match your study session mood.
Film or game soundtracks: Choose your favorite video game or movie soundtrack for your next study session. Or look for a compilation of soundtrack scores online.
Steps to Find Your Best Study Sound
Use this guide to find your optimal study sound environment.
Step 1: Match Sounds to Your Study Task
Different study tasks call for different sound environments. If you’re reading or reviewing comprehension-heavy materials like textbooks or case studies, silence or subtle background sounds work best. Nature sounds, light ambient music, or brown noise can help you focus without overwhelming your brain. Avoid lyrics, as they compete with your reading comprehension.
When writing essays or creative pieces, instrumental music can set the right rhythm for deep focus. Try film scores, lo-fi beats, or soft jazz to stay in flow without getting distracted.
For math, coding, or other logic-based work, your brain needs quiet space to think. Moderate-tempo instrumental music or total silence works best, since overstimulation can interfere with problem-solving.
If you’re memorizing material like formulas or vocabulary, upbeat music can actually help. Rhythm and repetition support memory formation, so try using the same playlist every time you review, and your brain will start to associate those sounds with recall.
Finally, for creative projects such as design or brainstorming, play the music you love most. Upbeat, energizing playlists can elevate your mood and fuel new ideas; in this case, lyrics aren’t a problem.
Step 2: Know Your Brain Type
Understanding how you process information is key to choosing the right sound.
Auditory Learners
Often benefit from consistent background music or ambient sounds that keep them engaged. Avoid songs that shift volume or tempo suddenly, they can break concentration.
Visual Learners
May find music distracting since they process information primarily through sight. In this case, silence or soft white noise works best.
Kinesthetic Learners
Those who learn by moving or doing, can benefit from upbeat music that helps them stay active and alert, just make sure it doesn’t slow you down.
ADHD, Autistic, or Neurodivergent Learners
For you, sound preferences are highly individual. Some may thrive with stimulation, like fast-paced instrumentals or lo-fi beats, while others need calm. The key is to experiment. Just make sure the music helps you start studying instead of procrastinating.
Step 3: Test It Out
The best way to find your perfect study sound? Treat it like a mini science experiment.
Over one week, try studying for a few sessions with music, a few in silence, and a few with white or brown noise (you can use websites like myNoise® or Noisli). After each session, take a short quiz or self-check on what you studied. Track your scores, comfort level, and focus time.
By the end of the week, you’ll have data to back up what your brain already knows. Your optimal study sound is the one that helps you learn effectively and feel most comfortable.
Step 4: Troubleshoot Common Issues
If you find that music helps you get started but distracts you later, use it only for the first 10–15 minutes as a “study warm-up,” then switch it off. If silence makes you anxious, try brown noise or nature sounds to fill the space.
If you can’t use music during exams, practice in silence at least half the time to avoid dependency. Create a dedicated study playlist so your favorite songs don’t lose their joy, and if background noise at home is an issue, consider investing in noise-canceling headphones.
Finally, to avoid distractions between songs, download playlists ahead of time or use focus apps that block notifications.
Step 5: Deciding- Should You Use Music?
Music can be a great study partner, especially for creative or memorization tasks, when silence feels distracting, or if you need to block out background noise. If you’ve tried studying both ways and perform better with music, keep it in your routine.
However, if you’re tackling complex reading, math, or anything that requires deep concentration, silence may serve you better. If music pulls your focus or lowers your scores, skip it. Following the steps above will help you discover what kinds of music or study sounds are best for you.
Tips for Listening to Music While Studying
- Consider the tempo: Music with 60-70 beats per minute, like Beethoven’s Fur Elise, appears to help students study longer AND retain more information.
- Sound control: The volume of your study music is key. Don’t drown out your own thoughts. Remember, it’s supposed to be in the background.
- Avoid music with lyrics: Songs that tempt us to sing along or ponder the meaning of the lyrics tend to distract more than help.
- Find commercial-free music: Avoid music with commercials, as they add distractions that pull your attention away from the task at hand.
- Choose something you like: For the most benefits, listen to music you enjoy, and that makes you feel good. A study suggests memory is improved by the mood boost from listening, not the background music itself.
We would love to know what’s on your study playlist. Follow National University on Facebook or Instagram and let us know what music helps you get through school!
