Top 6 Music Genres for Concentration – According to Science

So you’re out there working away: noise-cancelling headphones tucked into your ears, work station set-up, coffee steaming by your keyboard. You open up Spotify and prepare to select your favourite tune or play your library on random mode. Nothing wrong about that, especially if you don’t have a heavy day ahead.

Wait, you do?

Oh well, in that case…

This is what you should be listening to.

Classical Music

You probably heard this one before: classical music is good for your brain, and Mozart is particularly beneficial for some reason. Sorry if you prefer Beethoven, but that’s the way it is.

This is so much the case that people have even started playing his stuff to grapes to get better wine! No kidding.

Mozart has been shown to improve memory and cognitive skills in general, in both humans and rats. Yes, you read that right. Rats who listened to Mozart in utero got out of a maze faster than Usain Bolt right after birth, while the other rats lingered behind looking puzzled. I’m exaggerating only slightly.

Now, of course Mozart is the best, but if you want to take your productivity to the maximum level imaginable, you want it to be fast tempo and major mode.

So what should you listen to?

MOZART FOR STUDY: the best of the best, you got Mozart, Major, Fast: the Triad of Productivity.

RELAXING MOZART: for a more chilled yet still productive Mozart immersion.

CLASSICAL FOCUS: for more than just Mozart on repeat.

Nature Sounds

Natural sounds have been shown to “improve health, increase positive affect, and lower stress and annoyance”, as well as “optimizing the ability to concentrate, and increasing overall worker satisfaction”. All of which is very helpful especially if you’re dealing with people bumping into your elbow on a plane as you try to get some work done or are trying to block out the piercing sound of screaming children. Think of it as a mild valium.

FOCUS WITH NATURE SOUNDS

For ambient music with a dash of nature:

MEDITATE TO THE SOUNDS OF NATURE

NATURE RELAXATION

Heroic Music

If you feel like you just cannot be bothered to do anything, perhaps what can help you the most is some epic piece like a movie score. Studies found that “thoughts to be more positive, active, motivated, and constructive when listening to heroic music”.

So if you need a little motivational push, try:

EPIC CLASSICAL

EPIC CINEMA GREAT FILM MUSIC

READING ADVENTURE

Jazz Music

If you’re up for something a little more vibey, how about some jazz? Some studies have shown that it improves concentration as much as classical music (even!). Here are some of my personal favorites:

JAZZ IN THE BACKGROUND

RAINY JAZZ by BGM coffee channel

COZY JAZZ CAFE

Lo-Fi

Another genre that is scientifically proven to have “positive physiological effects as well as enhancement of cognitive performance” is Lo-Fi. However, if you want it to help you be productive, you absolutely want it to have no lyrics. Check out these options:

LO FI BEATS / CHILL MUSIC

LO FI INSTRUMENTALS

LO FI STUDY

Gregorian Chants

Yes, yes, I know. This is unlikely to get you laid, but you’re trying to be productive, remember? I admit there aren’t studies on the benefits of listening to Gregorian and religious chants in general, but there are plenty on the benefits of practicing them. Chanting reduces stress and blood pressure and can induce a quasi-meditative state where the mind is relaxed, yet alert.

It has also been found that “monk” music tends to lessen “mind-wandering” and improve focus – perhaps also because the very idea of monks is one associated with profound concentration instead of the fragmented and ever-distracted multi-tasking that plagues us today.

I can sense you’re skeptical, but hey, a Gregorian Chant album did make it to number one of the music charts, and it was only a decade ago!

Give it a shot, try:

GREGORIAN CHANTS FOR STUDY, SLEEP AND SOLITUDE

MEDITATION WITH GREGORIAN CHANTS

WOLKENSTEIN: SONGS OF MYSELF

Not exactly Gregorian chant, but similar spiritual vibe in a lovely white-voice rendering of songs by a 15th-century German composer.

This guy.

Look, he’s even winking at you!

Last but not least:

Music for Programmers

If you happen to belong to the Coders’ Tribe you might want to check out Music for Programming. You’ll love the modern dash UI and the music library, which features all of the genres mentioned above, kicks ass, too.

Happy working! And may the Force of music be with you.