listening to music during homework

Pros and Cons: Listening to Music While Studying for Optimal Focus

Integrating music into your study routine may seem like a mere method of enjoyment, but it transcends this perception. It is, in fact, a powerful cognitive tool that has been proven to have remarkable effects on our learning capabilities. Research continues to shed light on the profound influence of music on studying, unveiling an array of benefits that contribute to more effective, focused, and enjoyable learning experiences.

Advantages of Studying With Music

1. an impressive aid in studying.

Venturing into the depths of how music helps us study, it’s essential to recall Dr. Gordon Shaw’s groundbreaking theory, ‘ The Mozart Effect ‘. This theory originated in the 1990s when Shaw extensively studied brain theory and spatial reasoning in problem-solving. His research with students led to the intriguing conclusion that frequent exposure to Mozart’s “ Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major ” boosted their IQ by nine points.

Not only does music provide a pleasant background for studying, but it also enhances endurance, keeping students engaged for extended periods. The persistence needed to master new material often clashes with the monotony of the task. Music comes into play here, transforming the tedious process into an engaging, even enjoyable experience.

2. A Powerful Catalyst for Focus

Music plays a crucial role in maintaining focus during study sessions in the era of endless distractions. It acts as a gentle, steady undercurrent, tuning out external disturbances. As you immerse yourself in your study material, music provides a consistent, comforting backdrop, allowing your mind to anchor itself firmly to the task.

Music mitigates the whirl of distracting thoughts and allows your brain to steer its attention to studying. It’s akin to a cognitive anchor, helping your brain bypass the temptations of wandering thoughts and bringing them back to the study material.

3. An Incredible Instrument for Concentration

Scientific studies, including brain imaging scans, have highlighted the effect of music on concentration. Listening to music activates the brain’s left and right hemispheres simultaneously, significantly bolstering learning abilities. By triggering different areas of your brain, music helps maintain its agility and health. Thus, nurturing your ability to concentrate by merely tuning into some serene sounds is within your grasp.

The influence of music on concentration is multifaceted. It helps reduce anxiety and facilitates healthy emotional processing, leaving your brain free to concentrate on the task at hand.

4. A Potent Enhancer of Academic Performance

Incorporating music into learning curriculums has repeatedly proven beneficial, significantly improving academic performance. For example, a primary school in Bradford achieved a remarkable rise in SATS results by merely integrating more music into the curriculum.

5. A Dynamic Motivator for Studying

One of the most profound challenges in studying is sustaining the motivation to persist through complex material. Music, with its varied tones, rhythms, and melodies, injects an element of enjoyment into the learning process, rekindling motivation and interest.

Creating a personalized learning playlist can serve as a backdrop to your study routine. Listening to your favorite tracks can inspire focus and stimulate your eagerness to learn, thus making studying an enjoyable endeavor rather than a dreaded task.

6. A Proven Memory Booster

Music is a well-recognized mnemonic device. It triggers the memory centers in the brain, making recall more manageable. To put it simply, music can play a vital role in helping you remember what you’ve studied. The melody and rhythm of music can link to specific information, making it easier to retrieve when needed.

Songs with catchy lyrics often get stuck in our heads. This phenomenon, often referred to as an “ earworm ,” can be put to productive use in learning. Pairing important information with melodies can help you remember details with greater accuracy.

7. A Mindful Way to Manage Stress

The soothing power of music is no secret. Numerous studies show that music can significantly reduce stress and anxiety levels. When you’re feeling overwhelmed by your study load, listening to relaxing music can help restore calm, allowing you to refocus and study more effectively.

Music has a unique link to our emotions; thus, it can serve as an extremely effective stress management tool. It can be a powerful medium to connect with our feelings, helping us process them more healthily and ultimately enhancing our ability to learn.

8. A Creative Pathway for Problem Solving

Disadvantages of Music During Study Sessions

While the benefits of integrating music into study sessions are indeed substantial, it’s crucial also to be aware of its potential drawbacks. Just as music can enhance cognitive function, it may hinder optimal learning under certain circumstances. Understanding these potential pitfalls is essential to leverage music’s benefits while minimizing its potential for distraction or inefficiency.

1. A Potential Distraction

While music can promote focus, it can also have the opposite effect, particularly when it contains lyrics. Lyrics can interfere with the processing of linguistic information, such as reading or writing. In essence, your brain may struggle to focus on the study material because it’s also attempting to process the words in the song. This is especially true if the music’s language aligns with your study material.

Moreover, complex musical compositions with intricate harmonies and melodies can similarly draw attention away from the task at hand. Rather than serving as a gentle backdrop, such music can command cognitive resources, leading to divided attention.

2. An Interrupter of Deep Learning

Research suggests that silence is sometimes more beneficial for complex tasks that require deep cognitive processing. Some learners may find music interrupting their thought process, making solving complex problems or grasping challenging concepts more difficult. Deep learning requires an undisturbed mental space, and music can fragment this continuity for some individuals.

3. A Misleading Sense of Mastery

Listening to music while studying can create a more enjoyable learning environment, which can sometimes lead to an inflated sense of understanding. Research indicates that students who study with music tend to believe they’ve learned the material better than they actually have. This can be problematic when it comes to recalling and applying information during an examination or in a practical setting.

4. An Unwanted Emotional Influence

While music can help manage stress and enhance mood, it can also evoke strong emotions that might distract from studying. For example, a song that reminds you of a particular event or person might trigger a flood of memories and emotions, leading your mind away from the study material.

5. A Potential Cause of Overstimulation

Listening to music while studying can lead to sensory overload, particularly for individuals with certain learning styles or neurological conditions. For instance, individuals with ADHD may find music overly stimulating and distracting. Similarly, individuals with auditory processing issues or those who are particularly sensitive to sound might find that music more hindrance than a help.

While music can indeed be a powerful tool to enhance studying, it is not universally beneficial. Understanding one’s learning style and preferences is vital to ensure the best use of music during study sessions. Just as the right kind of music under the right conditions can boost learning, the wrong type, or using it inappropriately, can have the opposite effect. Thus, balance and self-awareness are key when leveraging music in the pursuit of knowledge.

Does listening to music improve GPA?

No direct scientific evidence suggests that listening to music while studying will necessarily improve your GPA. The relationship between music and studying is complex and depends on various factors, such as the type of music, the task at hand, and individual learning styles. For instance, some students may find that certain types of instrumental or classical music improve their concentration and subsequently enhance their study effectiveness. However, the potential impact on GPA would also depend on many other factors related to study habits, comprehension, test-taking skills, and so forth.

Is it better to listen to music while working or to work in silence?

The choice between working with music or in silence is largely personal and can depend on the task at hand. Silence may be the best option if the work involves complex cognitive processing or linguistic comprehension, as it allows for deeper concentration. On the other hand, for more mundane or repetitive tasks, music can make the process more enjoyable and may help maintain focus. Importantly, music without lyrics or with a consistent rhythm tends to be less distracting. The key is understanding your work style and the nature of the task.

Why does music help me focus with ADHD?

Research has suggested that individuals with ADHD can benefit from listening to music during tasks that require concentration. Music, particularly with a steady rhythm, can stimulate the brain’s production of certain chemicals like dopamine and norepinephrine, which play crucial roles in attention and focus. Moreover, listening to music can make the task more enjoyable, which may improve motivation and persistence in individuals with ADHD. However, this isn’t universally true for everyone with ADHD. The type of music, the task, and personal preferences all play a role. Trying different approaches and seeing what works best for you is important.

Final Thoughts

The role of music in study and work environments is complex and multifaceted. The effects it has on productivity, focus, and creativity are contingent on a multitude of factors, including the nature of the task, the type of music, and the individual’s personal preferences and learning style. While research provides some guidance, the final decision on whether to incorporate music into study or work routines rests upon trial and error, as individuals gauge what methods best optimize their performance and well-being.

Furthermore, it’s essential to consider the limitations and potential drawbacks of this practice. Music can enhance mood and focus and can also be a source of distraction, particularly when engaging in complex cognitive tasks or when the music includes discernable lyrics. Hence, finding the right balance is crucial. Music is a tool that, when used strategically, can potentially improve both productivity and enjoyment in work or study environments. It underscores the importance of personalizing our learning or working styles, aligning our habits to our unique preferences, and continuously experimenting with ways to optimize our performance.

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M usic is an indispensable part of our life and you will hardly meet a person who doesn’t like listening to it. Of course, it can be a music of different genres, with or without lyrics, modern or classical, but people enjoy listening to music and can combine a variety of activities with it.

Young generations are also fans of music and every second student has always his headphones. Students listen to music everywhere: on-the-go, in public transport, in the shower and even when they do their homework. However, the last habit is quite controversial as scientists have different opinions about the effect music produces on studying. Let’s analyze the viewpoints of different scholars and decide whether pros or cons of listening to music while you do your homework will outweigh.

How can music be beneficial?

It is not surprising to see different studies about the influence of music on learning and their results are sometimes opposite to each other. Some scientists claim that music can influence the brain work positively as well as provide a learner with some huge advantages including:

• Useful for creative and reflection activities The study done at John Hopkin’s University confirms the viewpoint that music can be a great boost in writing , brainstorming, project work, problem-solving activities. It can improve productivity as well as be a perfect solution for several minutes of rest to recharge for the next activity.

Negative impact of music on doing homework

At the same time, many students still call music a distraction. Why does it happen? The answer is simple, students speak about absolutely different styles of music.

It goes without saying that listening to the song with words you will be more likely to distract from studying by repeating the words of the singer. This fact was confirmed by the University of Phoenix where researchers have proved that lyrics activates language-processing centers of the brain and that results in a lack of concentration and difficulties to recall the memorized information .

The last fact was described in the book “ Educational Psychology ”. Context-dependent learning means that people will recall information better in the same environment how they were memorizing it. If it was a music background at home, there are few chances that this background will be at school too, so information recalling will suffer greatly as well.

One more apparent point is a huge difference in people’s learning styles. Some people will have a much better productivity studying in silence, the others chewing a burger and one more group watching a TV. Music can be beneficial only to some of the students as any sound can affect the performance of others negatively. Consequently, it is impossible to make the only right conclusion about the ultimate benefit or the toughest negative impact of music on student’s performance of the home assignment. The only conclusion is apparent: everything depends on the person and his study environment .

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Does Listening to Music Really Help You Study?

Experts from the department of psychology explain whether or not music is a helpful study habit to use for midterms, finals, and other exams.

By Mia Mercer ‘23

Students have adopted several studying techniques to prepare for exams. Listening to music is one of them. However, listening to music may be more distracting than helpful for effective studying.

There’s no season quite like an exam season on a university campus. Students turn to varying vices to help improve their chance of getting a good grade. While some chug caffeine, others turn up the music as they hit the books.

Although listening to music can make studying more enjoyable, psychologists from the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences have found that this popular study habit is more distracting than beneficial. 

“ Multitasking is a fallacy; human beings are not capable of truly multitasking because attention is a limited resource, and you can only focus on so much without a cost,” cognitive psychologist Brian Anderson said. “So when you’re doing two things at the same time, like studying and listening to music, and one of the things requires cognitive effort, there will be a cost to how much information you can retain doing both activities.” 

In basic terms of memory, Anderson explained that we do a better job of recalling information in the same conditions in which we learn the material. So when studying for an exam, it’s best to mimic the exam conditions. 

“If you have music going on in the background when you study, it’s going to be easier to recall that information if you also have music on in the background when you take the exam,” Anderson said. “However wearing headphones will almost certainly be a violation during most exams, so listening to music when you’re studying will make it harder to replicate that context when you’re taking an exam.” 

Even though experts suggest listening to music can hinder your ability to retain information while studying, some students choose to continue the practice. Steven Smith, cognitive neuroscientist for the Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences , provided some suggestions for students who wish to continue this study habit. 

 “In general, words are distracting,” Smith shared. “So if you want to listen to music while you study, try to listen to something that does not have words, or if it does have words, hopefully, it’ll be in a language that you don’t understand at all, otherwise that’s going to distract from the stuff you’re trying to study.”

Smith also suggested listening to familiar background music, because it’s less distracting than something new or exciting. Additionally, Smith provided some principles that generally result in better exam results. 

“Make sure your studying is meaningful because comprehension gets you so much further than raw repetition,” Smith shared. “Also, you must test yourself, because it’s the only way you can learn the material; this is called the testing-effect. And finally, try to apply the spacing-effect, where you spread out your study sessions rather than cramming your studying all together, allowing for better memory of the material.”

Regardless of how students decide to study for exams, it’s important to remember that we all learn differently.

“There are individual differences between everyone,” Smith said. “Some people need a study place that is boring, predictable, and exactly the same so that they can concentrate, and others find it more beneficial to go to different places to study. It’s true that there are different personalities, so try and find what study habit works best for you.” 

• The College at Work
• Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences
• Preparing for Exams

Does Listening to Music While Doing Homework Affect Your Grade in School?

Music is a powerful art form that can bring up emotions, inspire motivation and alter your mood. Students frequently listen to music while studying to make the process less painful and, in some cases, because they believe music will help them learn. The effects of listening to music while studying are mixed, however, and depend upon the type of music you listen to as well as the degree to which it distracts you.

Music With Lyrics

Music with lyrics activates the language-processing centers of the brain, and the University of Phoenix advises that this can be distracting. Particularly if you're reading or studying subjects within the humanities, the act of processing musical lyrics as you try to process the words you're studying can make studying more challenging. Students who listen to music with lyrics may have more difficulty concentrating and may struggle more to recall the information they've learned.

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Instrumental Music

Robin Harwood, et al. point to the "Mozart Effect" in their textbook "Child Psychology." The "Mozart Effect" is the belief that listening to classical music can improve intelligence; it is based upon a single study that was subsequently refuted. Instrumental and classical music won't make you smarter, according to Harwood, et al. But this music can have a relaxing, soothing effect and is less distracting than music with lyrics.

More For You

Factors that affect listening comprehension, how to get smarter in math, what are the advantages & disadvantages of the literature-based approach to teaching reading, the difference between a reading disability & dyslexia, interactive skills for reading, staying focused.

A 2005 study published in "Psychology of Music" found that workers who listened to music while working had higher productivity than those who didn't. The study's authors speculate that this could be because music boosts mood, improving motivation. Particularly among students who are struggling to remain motivated to complete their work, music might provide a respite from the stress and exhaustion of studying and inspire them to keep at it.

Context-Dependent Learning

People recall information more effectively when they're doing so in the same environment in which they initially learned it, according to the textbook "Educational Psychology." Students who listen to music while studying will be better at recalling the information they've learned if they also listen to music during tests -- an opportunity most students don't have. This might mean that listening to music can make recalling information more challenging, particularly for students who transition from listening to loud music to taking a test in a silent classroom.

• Psychology of Music: The Effect of Music Listening on Work Performance
• Mind the Science Gap: Does Music Help You Study?
• University of Phoenix: Should You Listen to Music While Studying?
• USA Today College: Should You Listen to Music While You Study?
• Child Psychology; Robin Harwood et al.; 2008
• Educational Psychology; Anita Woolfolk; 2006

Van Thompson is an attorney and writer. A former martial arts instructor, he holds bachelor's degrees in music and computer science from Westchester University, and a juris doctor from Georgia State University. He is the recipient of numerous writing awards, including a 2009 CALI Legal Writing Award.

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7 Benefits Of Listening To Music While Studying

Annika Hope

Knuckling down to some revision can be hard. So what can you do to make your study time more effective and productive?  And what exactly are the benefits of listening to music while studying?

There are proven benefits of listening to music while studying , but it has to be the right kind of music. Research has shown that music can help you focus, concentrate, relax, feel motivated, improve memory and make the process much more enjoyable . 

Read on to find out how it can help with your academic performance, and what you should be adding to your playlist, for the most successful study periods.   

Benefits of listening to music while studying  

Have your parents, teachers or lecturers been encouraging you to plug into Spotify or iTunes while studying? If so, there’s a good reason behind it. You may be aware of the benefits of studying music, but did you know that there are many benefits to listening to music while studying all sorts of topics.

There are some caveats of course. Certain types of music work better than others and some subjects and learning approaches aren’t as conducive to using background sounds. But for the majority of students, there are a host of benefits.  

How is music beneficial to students?  

There are few things music doesn’t improve – be it a night out, meal, car journey, long flight, gym session or brisk walk. If you enjoy listening to music (and perhaps even if you don’t) music can motivate you, keep you studying for longer, make it more enjoyable and increase your cognitive function. We’ll be looking at the science behind the theories and experiences of many people.  

Advantages of listening to music while studying

#1  music helps you study  .

In the 1990s Dr Gordon Shaw developed a theory called The Mozart Effect. He had studied brain theory and spatial reasoning in problem-solving for decades. Following a period of research with a group of students, he deduced that their IQ had improved nine points, by frequently listening to Mozart’s “Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major.”

Scientists carrying out further studies didn’t always find the same results. So it seems it does vary from person to person. But one thing’s for sure, listening to Mozart – or similar sounds won’t make you less intelligent and it’s likely to do the opposite.  

How does music help you study?  

There are many ways music helps you study. One of the ways in which it improves your performance specifically in this area is by keeping you going longer. Less isn’t more when it comes to learning and by increasing your time spent revising, you’ll take in a great deal. But let’s face it, studying can be tedious and boring.

Playing music, especially for subjects you find dull and less inspiring can make it more interesting, meaning you won’t throw in the towel and stop as quickly as you might, without some accompaniment. Music = endurance.  

Is music bad for studying?  

Music can be bad for studying if it changes too rapidly. Seek out more sustained sounds with longer repetitive tracks. Don’t change songs frequently or use medleys. Many people say they find the music less useful for language study and reading fiction – the latter is likely because it requires your brain to imagine and visualise the world of the book.  

#2  Music helps you focus   

Endurance + focus is a great combination. But do you have a wandering mind? If you find yourself thinking about everything except work, as soon as you open your books, your problem may be in focus. Music is an ideal remedy when reading dry, factual textbooks, learning facts or solving problems.  

Why does music help you focus?  

You may find your mind wanders easily when carrying out these activities. Adding gentle sounds will provide a kind of white noise background, allowing your brain to zone into what you’re doing, rather than entertaining itself with background distractions, like intermittent traffic noise or voices.

There are times when your body and mind do need some silence. So be careful not to always fill every gap with sound. Take time every day to remove audio stimulation completely allowing your ears and mind to rest.  

How can listening to music help you focus?  

In this video, you’ll learn a little more about how it can help you focus on the task at hand and when listening to music doesn’t work so well for achieving focus.  

#3  Music helps you concentrate   

Similar to helping you focus, gentle music will enable you to concentrate on what you’re doing. Brain imaging scans show that music activates both the left and right sides of the brain at the same time – the activation of both hemispheres simultaneously can intensify learning abilities. Firing up different areas of your brain helps it stay in shape. Brain cells are known to die from inactivity – so use them or lose them! And boosting your brainpower can be as easy as listening to some lovely sounds.  

How does listening to music help you concentrate?  

As with the other benefits we list in this article, it does depend on what you’re listening to. Give the metal and miss and pop on some Classic FM or chill out sounds. Listening to music when you’re not studying can also have positive effects on your ability to concentrate when you do knuckle down to some work too.  

How does music affect concentration?  

Music helps reduce anxiety and process emotions in a healthy way. This leaves your brain free to concentrate on what you’re doing, rather than being plagued by worries and trying to sort through your feelings. Have you ever noticed how much better your mind works following some meditation or a massage? You can think more clearly and problem-solve more effectively. The same applies to the right kind of music exposure.  

#4  Music affects academic performance  

A primary school in Bradford made the news when it saw its SATS results dramatically improve after incorporating more music into the curriculum, despite being in a very deprived area, and usually producing poor academic performances. As so many of the students speak English as a foreign language, music breaks down barriers and enables greater degrees of communication, satisfaction and achievement.  

It has long been known that those who study music often do better in maths too. And introducing music at a young age aids cognitive development. If you have kids, enrolling them in music lessons often has a lot of advantages beyond simply learning an instrument (although that too is a super life skill).  

Does listening to music affect academic performance?

Researchers at Cardiff Metropolitan University tested reading comprehension with music and found that the subjects found it harder to concentrate with music present. But this was particular to reading and while there are no conclusive studies available to fully prove a comprehensive improvement in academic performance, there are many who find that it has a positive effect overall.

This is no doubt because of the mixture of benefits delivered. It is, as we’ve mentioned, also very dependent on whether your tunes of choice are likely to put you off.  

How does listening to music improve academic performance?  

Another reason academic performance might be affected is the ability for music to move the brain to pay attention. A study at Standford University used brain imaging to discover that peak activity often happened, during moments of silence within a longer musical movement. Music helps the brain sift events, allowing it to hone into the things that matter, better.  

#5  Music helps motivate study (so you enjoy it!)  

One of the biggest challenges with studying is actually knuckling down to it, then sticking at it once you’ve started. Add in some of your favourite tunes and it takes on a whole new lease of life. Create your very own learning playlist for a soundtrack to your study. Do you have a motivational song you listen to before going on stage or doing an audition? It’s a similar concept. Pick songs that get you in the zone. Focus on the outcome of your efforts and get excited about it.  

Listening to music while studying research  

We often talk about the positive effects singing has on the brain and body, improving mental and physical health. But you don’t necessarily have to make music yourself to reap some of the rewards. Scientists have discovered that listening to music releases dopamine in the brain. This is a feel-good chemical.  

Some of the benefits have to do with the vibrations of sound, others are associated with the ebb and flow and musical arcs experienced when listening.  

Listening to music while studying – an experiment  

We’ve talked a little about the types of music you should listen to. In this experiment using undergraduate medical students, many reported that it was distracting to have a soundtrack. Those listening to soft music reported 75% more correct answers than those listening to fast tracks. The message is – don’t use your dance beats, or electronica when studying if you want to do well academically.   

#6  Music improves memory   

If you’re a singer , this is a brilliant opportunity for some multi-tasking. The act of learning lyrics and the notes helps improve your memory and even fights against longer-term illnesses such as Alzheimer’s.

Your brain is a muscle, so the more you memorise and learn, the better it gets at it. And this crosses over from performance to academia. Listening to music improves mood and a positive emotional state is also linked to better memory.  

How can I improve my memory for studying?  

Learn a new song a week and you’ll soon impress your mates with your fantastic ability to remember facts and stories connected to your school, college or uni work. There are lots of tricks to help you remember things – try different ones to work out which suits you best. Here are some great tips and suggestions you might like to try.  

Listening to instrumental music while studying  

Memorising lyrics is a great way to boost those brain cells, but don’t attempt to do it while trying to study. Keep the two actions separate – use words to practice and exercise the memory, and then use wordless music to study with.

Try to avoid instrumental tracks of songs you sing. If you hear the melodies while working, you’re likely to automatically start singing the lyrics in your head. In terms of memory function, this is great, as it means you’ve cemented them in place. But it will put you off your thread when doing other tasks that require concentration.  

#7  Music helps you relax  

Music is excellent for your overall mental health and in aiding relaxation. The more relaxed and calm you are, the better you’ll feel and the more you’ll achieve academically. Stress is a big problem for students and is counter-productive, but can be hard to combat. Anything that helps relieve these feelings and promote wellbeing is likely to up your game and make you happier in the process. So it makes sense to include music in your work and personal life.  

How does music help relieve stress?  

As you listen to music , your heart rate often syncs in time with the rhythm. Because of this, people who regularly experience stress are often advised to listen to music that lowers the heart rate to a normal resting beat (classical music is a common favourite for this). If you’re feeling nervous, with a fast heartbeat and sweaty palms before an exam or performance, pop on some calming music, focus on sustained breathing and close your eyes. You can actually induce a state of calm and slow your heartbeat to a resting rate this way.  

What kind of music is good for studying?   

How do you want to feel when studying? Some people like to get the adrenaline flowing, although this is more likely to be beneficial in an exam type scenario, or when cramming, when you need a quick boost of energy.

For sustained, lengthy study sessions in which you need to absorb information or write a dissertation, you’re usually better off with something calm and chilled – but no so relaxing you drift off to sleep! Jazz, folk and classical are great genres for studying.

Streaming sites and YouTube are packed with great playlists, so you don’t have to spend valuable study time compiling your own playlists.  

Disadvantages of listening to music while studying  

Disadvantages tend to come with the wrong choice of music. Avoid anything with lyrics as this is more likely to distract and encourage singing along. Similarly, stay away from your absolute faves. Even without lyrics, you’re likely to tune into the melodies you love best.

For some people, any sound at all is distracting and the less external stimulation present when studying, the better. If this is you, find a quiet indoor spot without any screens (unless they’re directly connected to what you’re doing). And put your phone on silent and out of reach – notifications are the worst culprits for putting you off your stride.  

If you love to listen to music, then this will no doubt be good news. But the message is, don’t let your favourite playlists reign over your study time. Use music that best fits the task. It does help if it something you quite like, from a motivation perspective, but they shouldn’t be your top tunes. It’s also a great opportunity to expose yourself to different genres and periods.

Classical music tends to be less popular with younger people, but it can be a great source of study friendly compositions. Expand your musical experiences to styles you wouldn’t ordinarily pick and you may just up your grades in the process.   

Related Questions  

• What per cent of students listen to music while studying?  

A recent survey estimated that around 60% of students use music to help with studying. Previous studies have suggested around 50% do so. So it’s likely that at least half will have some when working – you’re certainly not alone if you like to have your favourite playlist while studying. 

• What are the benefits of listening to music in class?  

There’s something really powerful about a shared music experience and it’s not limited to choirs. You can learn theory and explore the creativity of composition with fellow students. It also helps keep the group calm and centred.  

• Is it bad to study with music on?  

It depends what you’re listening to and whether it’s distracting or encouraging. You might need to experiment with different tunes to find what works for you, not against you (and it might not be your usual go-to albums).  

Have you found the benefits of listening to music while studying? What genre of music do you find is best and do you have any favourite albums or artists for it? Tell us what you think in the comments below. 

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Student Life

• Sep 9, 2022

10 Awesome Benefits of Listening to Music while Studying

Music is a powerful psychological tool — including during study sessions and exam periods.

Mike Dalley

HR and Learning & Development Expert

Reviewed by Chris Leitch

Music is a wonderful thing to have in life, and whereas we all have different tastes and preferences for what we like to listen to, there’s no denying that we all love listening to it for many different reasons. In recent years, music has been touted as having certain benefits to work-related activities, including studying and preparing for exams .

It might seem counterintuitive, but listening to music can make us more effective at taking in the information we’re trying to learn.  This article explores the various benefits of listening to music while studying.

Plug in some headphones and read on!

1. It improves your focus

Our brains are said to have two focus systems : one that helps us focus on conscious things, and one that focuses on unconscious things, such as background noise or other unwanted distractions.

Both work in tandem, so this, unfortunately, explains why we might be concentrating on doing something but our minds instead get hung up on noises like a washing machine whirring or someone sniffing continuously.

Listening to music — an often pleasurable experience — will preoccupy the unconscious part of our brain on something pleasant, thus allowing us to focus on succeeding at studying .

2. It boosts your memory

Studies conducted in the US and Japan have demonstrated that music doesn’t just help us recall old memories through feelings of nostalgia or familiarity; it can help us learn new ones as, well.

The rhythms and melodies of music can reactivate areas of the brain that help with memory , and listening to music while studying can help us associate certain songs or tunes with what we’re trying to learn; in essence, it’s a primitive form of association.

Singing along to music, meanwhile, can further drive recall ability and help with retaining information. Whether you sing to an audience or just to yourself is completely up to you!

3. It motivates you to study

Listening to your favorite music stimulates the areas of your brain which focus on reward and thinking positively. This means that when you listen to such music, you will feel more empowered and motivated to do a good job — and perhaps go the extra mile in the studying you are doing.

Positive or upbeat music might sound especially motivating for you and spur you on to work hard and concentrate for longer.

4. It helps you to detach

Music has a strong ability for us to detach from realities and escape into our favorite artists or genres. This might appear counterintuitive for the purposes of studying, but there can be certain benefits.

Some types of music, such as lo-fi, can evoke certain trance-like feelings and meditative responses that allow us to purely focus on one task, which can be a great way to get going with a hard hour of intense studying. In these environments, time might fly by, and you will find that you have gotten a lot more work accomplished than you would have originally expected.

5. It reduces stress levels

Listening to certain types of music can really help people calm down and become less anxious, which will help you retain information and improve your mindset for studying.

In a  2013 study, a group of volunteers were asked to perform tasks while listening to rippling water, calming music, or nothing at all. The sample responded differently — and calmer — when listening to music.

In general, relaxing music can help us recall calming memories and stimulate hormones that alleviate anxiety, which is discussed next.

6. It reduces anxiety

Calming music, especially classical music, can have a very dramatic effect on reducing anxiety.

Indeed, a 2021 study of intensive care patients demonstrated that their levels of anxiety (in this exceptionally anxiety-inducing environment) were significantly reduced when having classical music played to them.

Because your favorite music increases your feelings of pleasure, this reduces the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in your body and, therefore, improves your focus on studying.

7. It improves cognitive thought

Music does a lot more for cognitive function than driving focus and memory. Different types of music can trigger certain cognitive responses, so if you enjoy these types of music, it’s good to be aware of their advantages.

Classical music, for example, can especially help with recalling numbers, mathematical principles and spatial reasoning (the latter being referred to as the Mozart Effect ). Songs with no lyrics are perfect for reading comprehension and writing . Nature sounds can help us concentrate, and chill-out music and lo-fi can assist with deep concentration and serious thought.

Therefore, it might be good to create certain playlists depending on what you’re studying.

8. It boosts your mood

One of the main reasons we listen to music in general is because it makes us happier. We all have our favorite songs and artists, and listening to them will bring a smile to our faces.

Having a mood enhancer for studying is an incredible feeling. Being happy and relaxed while studying makes the exercise of doing so a lot easier and pleasurable, and will install in you positive vibes that will make the end task (such as writing an essay or getting ready for an exam ) seem a lot easier to achieve, and that, basically, everything will be okay.

9. It helps you organize your study plan

Listening to music can help you structure your approach to studying, or at least break down what might seem like an insurmountable obstacle into bite-sized, achievable tasks.

One approach to this is to use a certain album or group of songs as a timeframe for studying, and when this collection of songs finishes, use this as an opportunity to take a break. This approach is known as the “Pomodoro Technique”, a productivity theory that breaks up work into smaller chunks. Aligning this technique to music can be a naturally effective approach.

10. It eliminates boredom

Studying in a quiet or silent room can do wonders to help us focus but can sometimes be mind-numbingly dull. Using music for no other purpose than a background track to your studying can simply help you remain engaged in what you’re doing.

If you’re able to listen to music while taking in the information you’re supposed to, then listening to music can alleviate a lot of the boredom and tediousness of studying. It’s best to do this using music that can fade a little into the background, so avoid music with too many lyrics or a new album that you haven’t yet listened to, as this might only serve to distract you from the task at hand.

Key takeaways

Music is an amazing study aid that offers plenty of benefits but, in general, using music to study offer three main advantages:

• It can improve focus.
• It can de-stress you.
• It can keep you engaged.

A big part of music’s effectiveness in helping you study is to find the best music to have on in the background. It makes sense to listen to music that you enjoy, but try to pick tracks and albums that will not distract you too much.

In general, calming music with few lyrics works best, but we are all individuals, so find music that works best for you. This can be a matter of trial and error, so if you feel that some types of music work less well, try a different genre. Sooner or later, you will find a style that clicks and will discover that studying becomes a lot easier — and a lot more effective.

Can you think of any other benefits of listening to music while studying? Let us know in the comments section below.

Originally published on July 25, 2018.

Productivity

4 best music for homework that’ll dramatically improve your productivity

Choosing the right music for homework can help you focus better and learn faster.

Around 60% of students tend to listen to music while studying. Researchers also found that listening to music was the most popular side activity for teens who juggled studying with another task.

While we may prefer different genres of focus music, we can all agree that the right playlist has the magical ability to boost concentration.

This is because music activates the most diverse networks of the human brain. It’s been proven that people with ADHD focus better with the right music.

This is on top of  existing research  that has found listening to music reduces anxiety, blood pressure, and improves sleep quality, mood, and memory.

Johns Hopkins University researchers have done work on jazz performers improvising inside an fMRI machine to see which areas of the brain light up as well.

They found that jazz musicians make unique improvisations by turning off inhibition and turning up creativity.

In short, if you find the right music for homework, you can elevate both brain power and creativity.

While there isn’t a one-size-fit-all approach to this, let us help you narrow down some of the best genres for you to try:

Here are the five best music for homework to help you increase your productivity:

Having the right music matters, even for top athletes. Source: Tiziana Fabi/AFP

1. Classical music

When picking music for homework, you’ve probably heard how classical music can increase your focus when studying.

There’s a theory dubbed “The Mozart Effect” that suggests this genre of music can enhance brain activity and arouse your brain to focus.

There are also several studies done where students listening to classical music did better on quizzes than students with no music.

Suggestions:

• ClassicFM  (a free radio streaming platform that plays famous classical pieces)
• “Study Playlist: Classical Music” on Spotify
• “Classical Music for When You’re on a Deadline” on YouTube

2. Video game music 

This might surprise you but video game music is actually one of the best music for homework. According to Orion Academy , video game music is designed to keep you absorbed and focused — which is also great for memorising. 

When your brain is focused on just melody, it’s taking a break from trying to break down the lyrics of a song and thus increases your performance .

Video game music tends to stay at a relatively low, constant volume too, preventing you from becoming distracted by sudden increases in volume.

Since video game music is generally fast-paced, your brain will be constantly engaged in the task at hand.

• “Video game soundtracks” on Spotify
• “Video game music for studying” on YouTube
• Choose favourites from this list and create your own playlist!

If you’re someone who easily gets distracted, RnB may not be the best music for homework for you. There’s a high chance that you might spend too much time jamming to the lyrics of the song instead of focusing.

Though music under his genre generally has lyrics, many RnB fans reported feeling more relaxed, focused, and less stressed, which may have a positive impact on their ability to focus and learn.

• “Study R&B Smooth Songs ” on Spotify
• “Chill R&B Beats Mix – Beats to Relax and Study (Vol.1)” on YouTube

4. Nature sounds 

It’s been shown that nature sounds relax our nervous system. Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute  have also discovered that natural sounds boost moods and focus.

The study found employees were more productive and had more positive feelings when nature sounds were playing in the background while they worked.

Nature sounds include the soothing sounds of the rain, ocean waves on the beach or even the jungle. Some prefer listening to bird calls and animal noises, so feel free to explore if nature sounds aren’t the right music for homework for you. 

Relaxing Nature Sounds for Sleeping – Natural Calm Forest Waterfall Music Meditation Sound for Study on YouTube

“Nature Sounds For Concentration” on Spotify

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