music to play during homework

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The Ultimate Study Music Playlist

This is a playlist of my favorite study music. It’s great for homework, studying for exams, reading, and generally getting crap crossed off my many checklists.

I’ve been working on this playlist for several years, and it contains music (all non-lyrical) from a wide variety of genres and sources, including video game/anime/movie soundtracks. At the moment, it’s got about 240 songs for you to choose from.

Listening on another app? I’ve worked to mirror this study playlist to other services. Check them out below:

• Spotify Study Music Playlist
• Apple Music Study Playlist

If you’d like, you can study with me in another tab while this plays. You can also listen to the playlist on YouTube instead of on this page.

By the way – I create my own study music as well! If you’d like to give it a listen, here’s a playlist:

You can also follow me on Spotify or on YouTube if you want to be notified when new tracks are released.

Need even more study music?

Here are a few options.

Brain.fm – Music designed specifically to help you focus more effectively. It works really well for me, and I use it for around 50% of my research, writing, and reading sessions – the other half are mostly done with the playlist above.

Piano Study Playlist – If you’re in the mood for a more consistent playlist, check out this one full of solo piano tracks.

Coffitivity – Sometimes I’m in the mood for ambient noise instead of music, and the sounds of a bustling coffee shop are my personal favorite type.

Noisli – An ambient noise generator that lets you create your own mix using sounds like rain, thunder, fan, and white/brown/pink noise.

More Playlists

Work Vibes – My personal playlist of “getting-stuff-done” music. Most of the tracks here have vocals, so I wouldn’t read or study intently with them. But they’re great for crushing emails, working on design projects, or doing other work where I simply need to execute quickly.

Tom’s Workout Playlist – A collection of the tracks that usually accompany me to the gym.

The best music to listen to while you work or study

They say classical music makes the best study tunes, but are we really limited to Bach and Mozart?

You've probably heard that classical music is good for studying, taking tests and doing creative work. This idea stems from the " Mozart Effect ," a term coined in 1993 when scientists discovered that listening to Mozart's Sonata for 10 minutes resulted in better spatial reasoning skills -- a particular type of intelligence that involves visualizing and manipulating images in your brain. 

The findings in that 1993 study got blown out of proportion, however, and classical music became synonymous with intelligence: so synonymous, in fact, that in 1998, then-Governor of Georgia Zell Miller proposed sending a classical cassette tape to every baby born in the state, free of charge, so that the babies would become smart. 

Even though the Mozart Effect has been more or less debunked in the time since, some experts still argue that music can offer other benefits to our brains -- namely, concentration and productivity. 

Read more: How to create the best exercise playlist for better workouts

How can music help us focus?

Consider these few reasons why music might help you plow through your to-do list: 

Elicits positive emotions: People tend to be more productive and efficient when happy ( recent research confirms this ), and the right kind of music can put a little pep in your step. People who listen to music, in fact, may be happier overall than people who don't listen to music.

Makes you feel upbeat: Sometimes, work and life just feel drab. If you've been feeling bored, a happy tune can make lackluster tasks seem more appealing. 

Drowns out other noise: If you've ever worked in a coffee shop or an office with an open floor plan, you've probably been driven up the wall by the sounds of someone sniffling or shuffling their feet. Listening to music, particularly through a good pair of headphones , can drown out distracting noises.

Read more:   Best music streaming: Spotify, Apple Music and more, compared     

If you can't stand the sounds of your work environment, use music to drown them out. 

Can music really make you more productive?

Research on music for productivity is inconclusive, to say the least. Some studies show that background music can improve your episodic memory and overall cognitive performance , yet other research suggests that background music can actually be a detriment to your ability to focus and learn . Still others say that it has no effect one way or another .

There are factors that affect whether background music works, too: Some research suggests that background music needs to be free of lyrics in order to promote productivity ; other studies say simply that whether music aids in concentrating depends on how much a worker likes or dislikes the music . 

Note that the studies discussed in this section measure something different than the aforementioned Mozart Effect. While the Mozart Effect measures the ability of music to enhance intelligence after the music stops playing, research on music for productivity investigates background music, or music that plays while your attention is primarily on something else (your work).

Read more:   Best turntable under $300 in 2020: Audio Technica, Pro-ject, Fluance and more   

40 gorgeous headphones for people who are sick of black

What kind of music helps us focus? 

With the fact that there's no real scientific consensus in mind, it's worth looking at the handful of research studies on different types of music and their ability to aid in concentration.

Classical music

Despite the muting of the Mozart Effect, some research still suggests that classical music can help people learn and focus (just not as impressively so as the 1990s would have you believe). For example, one study found that college students who listened to classical music during lecture learned more than those who listened to the same lecture without classical music. Some research suggests, however, that classical (or any type of complex) music is best when performing simple tasks , rather than complicated ones.

Ambient music

Ambient music is a style of gentle, tone-based music that utilizes ambient sounds like the hum of an air conditioner or the buzz of TV static. Ambient music often lacks a true beat, usually doesn't have lyrics, and ends up blending into the preexisting background noise -- this is why ambient sounds like white noise are often used at sleep aids . 

In terms of focus and productivity, one study found that white noise can help people with ADHD ignore noisy environments and perform tasks with more efficiency. There's still a lot of work to do, however, when it comes to understanding when ambient noise helps and when it doesn't , according to recent research from the University of Alberta.

Nature sounds

We already know that spending time in nature is good for our physical health. It turns out that listening to nature sounds, even when trapped in an office, can boost your mood and promote deep focus . Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York found that soothing nature sounds, such as rainfall, can mask intrusive sounds and help workers stay on task. 

This Nature Sounds playlist on Spotify has more than one million monthly listeners, a good indication that the playlist works for something, be it relaxation, sleep or focus. 

Test your music system with these great rock tracks

What type of music to avoid

Just as particular styles of music can help you focus and get things done, other styles can sabotage your efforts no matter how strong your work ethic. There's no research that explicitly compares the effects of different types of music on productivity, but most people can probably agree that it's best to avoid distracting styles, such as dubstep music and heavy metal, while working. 

Truly, though, it all comes down to personal preference. And it's not as if experimenting with background music can really hurt -- we're talking about music here, not whether a food additive is safe or not . The worst outcome is a slow day at work and perhaps a bit of scolding from your boss. 

You should know yourself well enough to understand what types of music and sounds help you focus, and which ones don't. If you find yourself struggling to focus with '80s classic rock in the background, maybe it's a good idea to turn off the Guns N' Roses and switch to something with less electric guitar.  

It's worth experimenting to find out what kind of music helps you focus. I personally can't listen to any music, regardless of style or tempo, that has lyrics. I've tried and tried and failed. I just get too caught up in the words and can't concentrate on the task at hand.

Instead, I've found that I focus much better when listening to soft electronic music or nature sounds (particularly rain and waterfalls). Some of my most productive days have been the result of simply switching on a floor fan to block out distracting noises. 

In the end, as with all things, do what works best for you.   

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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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Best Study Playlists - Study Music, Focus Music

Everybody has their own routine for how to study for exams, do homework, read or focus on a particular task. Listening to a study playlist is a great way to center your attention and lift your mood. Listening to music can also reduce stress, which is a plus when it comes to balancing a busy schedule of work, school and family!

Music Therapy has proven that you can process a wide range of emotions from excitement to thoughtfulness depending on what type of music you listen to. When we’re studying, we’re probably aiming for thoughtfulness. Research has also shown music has the potential to boost memory, which can be a huge plus.  However, complex and distracting music might not be the way to go when choosing the right studying playlist for you.

We have found that the best genres of music to listen to while studying, reading or writing include minimalist, classical, piano and low-fi music. We’ve compiled some of the best lyric-free playlists that will act as brain food while keeping your attention on your studies so you can ace that test and earn that A.

Best Study Playlists on Spotify

1. This more than 24-hour playlist is full of piano and classical songs to help you focus.

2. Lofi Girl curates some of the most relaxing and engaging playlists. Her use of lo-fi tracks mixed with ambient pieces will keep you relaxed but never bored.

3. This playlist is all instrumental all the time!

Best YouTube Study Playlists

1. This is a deep-focus playlist so you know you’ll finish what you need to get done!

2. This Bossa Nova & Jazz playlist is a MOOD. It will transport you to a lovely cafe, on a rainy day. 

3. This extra ambient playlist describes itself as “brain power, focus concentration music.” You’ll feel like you’re in a sound bath.

Music is just one way to improve your mental health. See more tips on how to improve your mental health as an online student. 

10 MENTAL HEALTH TIPS FOR ONLINE STUDENTS

*Arizona Online does not endorse playlist creators. Music is not guaranteed to boost academic performance. 

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Music and Improved Study Habits: Songs to Play During Homework

For parents of children with ADHD , dyslexia or other processing disorders , homework time is often a struggle. Research shows that using music for better study habits is often highly effective. Homework most often consists of reading and writing — two activities involving the visual sense. When an auditory sound is introduced — a dog barking, the phone ringing — it often distracts from the activity because it is in dissonance. Introducing complementary auditory sounds through music engages the brain by reducing distractions and increasing learning.

Here are some types of music to incorporate during study time.

Classical Baroque Style for Memorization

Baroque-style music hails from the Classical era. Most adults are familiar with Vivaldi’s "The Four Seasons" or Handel’s "Messiah." The reason that they are so memorable is that the tones and beats are predictable. This allows the brain to enter the alpha state, which is ideal for retaining massive amounts of information. When music comes in waves as expected, there is less need for students to focus on external stimuli. An empty void of silence is susceptible to any number of auditory distractions, whereas one filled with regularly occurring, calm beats and tones needs less attention diverted away from memorizing or learning vocabulary words.

Dance Beats for Stress Buildup

All children need regular breaks when concentrating on grueling tasks like math or science, those with special needs more so. Take frequent dance breaks with peppy, rhythmic music. This helps kids to “get it out of their system,” leading to longer periods between residual buildups of stress. Naturally, longer periods of concentration follow. The addition of a physical activity helps increase “feel good” hormone production, lowering the stress that often accompanies the pressure to stay focused on homework.

Funky Jazz or New Age for Creativity

Science and creative endeavors are areas that can really trip up some children who have trouble paying attention. These kids are creative, for sure, but that creativity is not easily directed. Here is another example of when music and studying are perfect complements. Music that is easy on the ear but unpredictable, with timbres that take surprising direction or tone, can help the brain to lose focus and wander. Internal processing is stimulated so that new neurons begin firing, creating new concepts. Exactly what is needed for out-of-the-box science experiments or creative writing.

For children who may have sensory sensitivity, play with the volume and proximity of music in relation to their location. There may be a need to start with fast, energetic music and transition to slower songs as their attention focuses. Try different songs for studying to see how your child responds.

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Kodak Center to host ’80s music icons: Three internationally famous acts booked

It’s an ’80s invasion at Kodak Center. Three music acts that rose to international fame during the decade have been booked to play the venue at 200 W. Ridge Road.

Following four sold-out residency shows in Las Vegas, and as part of a 14-city North American tour, Morrissey will headline an 8 p.m. show Saturday, Nov. 16.

Presale tickets (starting at $61) are available at Ticketmaster.com . Tickets go on sale to the general public at Ticketmaster.com and the Kodak Center box office at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 9.

Morrissey has released 13 solo albums, which spawned a string of No. 1 singles.

He came to prominence as lead singer and lyricist for The Smiths, which formed in 1982 in Manchester, England, and had a No. 3 hit in the United Kingdom with debut single “Hand in Glove.”

The Psychedelic Furs have a 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8, at Kodak Center. Emerging during the U.K.’s post-punk scene, the band released eight albums and had hits with “Love My Way,” “Pretty in Pink” and “The Ghost in You,” among others.

Opening will be Scottish alt-rock band The Jesus and Mary Chain, which during its career has had 12 Top 40 singles and two Top 10 hits in the U.K.

Tickets (starting at $73) are on sale at Ticketmaster.com and the Kodak Center box office.

General parking across the street from Kodak Center is $10 cash per vehicle. Limited premium spots are available next to the building for $20 cash per vehicle. Handicap parking is available in all lots.

Reporter Marcia Greenwood covers general assignments. Send story tips to  [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter  @MarciaGreenwood .

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All About Phoenix and Their Paris Olympics Closing Ceremony Performance

The French band is led by musician Thomas Mars, who is married to  Marie Antoinette film director Sofia Coppola. 

The organizers of the Paris Olympics Closing Ceremony are taking viewers back to the aughts with their inclusion of the French indie-pop band Phoenix.

After a whimsical creation of the Olympic rings, the band took the stage to perform their hit song "Lisztomania" as athletes sang to the song around them. After a brief joint performance with Angèle, the band performed yet another famous song, this time "If I Ever Feel Better."

The group previously teased their performance on X, formerly known as Twitter, sharing a pic of themselves posing on a Parisian rooftop. "Bonjour Paris! It’s so special seeing the city host this year’s @Olympics games, there is still so much more to come!" they captioned the photo.

Phoenix's performance was the perfect way to cap off the Summer Games and build anticipation for the Olympic's return to Los Angeles in 2028 . The group is from France but found mainstream success in the United States with their songs "Lizstomania" and "1901."

RELATED: LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games Reveal the Event Locations and Venues

"Today, where we look at the history of music, it’s certainly the French music style and the artists behind it, who have had the biggest resonance in the world. So it was important for us to acknowledge it,” Thierry Reboul, the event’s executive director, told  Variety  of the decision to recruit the band.

Vampire Weekend's Ezra Koenig, Air, and Vannda Take the Stage

The band was joined at the Stade de France by musicians Angèle, Ezra Koenig, Air, and Vannda. 

Vannda is a rapper from Cambodia, which used to be a French colony before gaining its independence. 

Angèle, meanwhile, hails from France's neighbor Belgium and is a popular artist in France.

Phoenix was later joined in their performance by American artist and Vampire Weekend singer Ezra Koenig. The pop group collaborated with the Vampire Weekend frontman on their recent album  Alpha Zulu , in which he sings on their song "Tonight."

The Members of Phoenix

The French group hails from Versailles, the same town where the French royal family and their court once lived, and is comprised of singer Thomas Mars, guitarists (and brothers) Laurent Brancowitz and Christian Mazzalai, and bassist/keyboardist Deck D’arcy.

They first began playing together in 1995, recording their demos in the garage of Mars' parents' Versailles home, according to  GQ . They've come a long in the years since they were teens, releasing seven albums since the band's inception: United (2000); Alphabetical (2004); It's Never Been Like That (2006);  Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix  (2009);  Bankrupt  (2013);  Ti Amo  (2017); and  Alpha Zulu  (2022). 

Notably, their latest album  Alpha Zulu — inspired by a terrifying and turbulent flight in which Mars heard the pilot shout, "Alpha Zulu," according to  GQ — was recorded at the Louvre Palace at the height of the pandemic, allowing the group to take in art and other French artifacts while laying down their tracks. "We tend to suffocate in the walls of a professional studio, but for my experience we were more inspired by these things," Mars told  GQ . 

RELATED: Here Are All the U.S. Medal Winners at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Why does Phoenix perform in English?

Mars has said that Phoenix didn't necessarily decide to sing just in English, that's just the way it happened. "When I started writing, the first thing that came out was in English," he explained to  New York Magazine   in 2010.

Plus, the band's influences are largely American and British, with the members citing Prince and The Talking Heads as their inspirations.

And while the band primarily sings in English, Mars has said that the lyrics are distinctly French. "We’re singing in English but singing about stuff that probably makes very little sense to Americans because it’s thought in French. We love that it’s weird and there is something very French about it," he explained in the same interview.

For example, the popular song "Lisztomania" features lyrics like " Do let, do let, do let  /  Jugulate, do let, do ." 

Mars' Relationship with Director Sofia Coppola

When Mars and his bandmates are not working on new music, the lead singer often collaborates with his wife, Sofia Coppola.

He and the director, whose father is famed filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, first met when Mars collaborated with the band Air — another Closing Ceremony performer — under the pseudonym Gordon Tracks in 1999. The group's song "Playground Love" is featured in Coppola's film  The Virgin Suicides , starring Kristen Dunst.

Since then, Mars and Phoenix have made small cameos in Coppola's other projects, including  Marie Antoinette  and  A Very Murray Christmas . And their songs continue to pop up in her films, including Lost in Translation , Somewhere , The Bling Ring and The Beguiled , with the band often creating original music to complement the soundtracks.

No matter what you’re interested in, NBCU will have you covered during the 2024 Paris Olympics . Stay up to date with a comprehensive  schedule of events , including where to watch, and  medal count . And be sure to watch the Closing Ceremony Sunday, August 11 at 3 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock .

"It’s hard to differentiate the work from the private life,” Mars previously told Dazed  of their work together, “but I’ve always felt a really strong connection watching her movies or anything by her brother (Roman)."

The director and musician worked together for many years and even welcomed two daughters together, Romy and Cosima, prior to their Italian wedding on Aug. 27, 2011. The nuptials were a small but star-studded event with Coppola's cousin Nicolas Cage and director George Lucas in attendance, according to  People .

Unsurprisingly, Mars' and Coppola's talents have rubbed off on their children, especially their eldest daughter Romy, who released two singles earlier this year.

Have an Olympics programming question? Ask OLI

With so much happening at the   Olympic Games, it can be a challenge to keep track of when to watch   all your favorite events and athletes. Enter: OLI, the   NBC Olympics AI-powered viewing guide that will answer any of your burning Olympics programming questions, day or night. Check it out on  NBCOlympics.com ,  NBC.com , NBCSports.com ,  USANetwork.com  and  Today.com .

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Who performed at the Olympic closing ceremony? Snoop, Dr. Dre, Billie Eilish, Red Hot Chili Peppers

Paris is closing out two and a-half extraordinary weeks of Olympic sports and emotion with a boisterous, star-studded show in France’s national stadium, handing over hosting duties for the Summer Games to the next city in line: Los Angeles in 2028.

Tom Cruise carries the Olympic flag during the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony at the Stade de France, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

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Actor Tom Cruise is pictured on the roof of the Stade de France during the closing ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (Fabrizio Bensch/Pool Photo via AP)

H.E.R. performs during the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony at the Stade de France, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

Tom Cruise is lowered into the stadium during the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony at the Stade de France, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

FILE - U.S. artist Snoop Dogg gestures during the men’s skateboarding park finals at the 2024 Summer Olympics, on Aug. 7, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

FILE - Billie Eilish performs during the Power Our Planet concert on the sideline of the Climate Finance conference in Paris, on June 22, 2023. (AP Photo/Lewis Joly, File)

Tom Cruise is lowered on the Stade de France during the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

ARCHIVO - Los miembros de los Red Hot Chili Peppers, de izquierda a derecha, Flea, Chad Smith y John Frusciante actúan durante el Global Citizen Festival el 23 de septiembre de 2023 en Central Park en Nueva York. (Foto AP/Yuki Iwamura, archivo)

Tom Cruise stands atop the Stade de France during the 2024 Summer Olympics closing ceremony, Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko)

PARIS (AP) — Paris has closed out two and a half extraordinary weeks of Olympic sports and emotion with a star-studded show in France’s national stadium and from Long Beach in Southern California. The French capital has handed over hosting duties for the Summer Games to the next city in line: Los Angeles in 2028.

Snoop, Dr. Dre, Billie Eilish & Red Hot!

Snoop Dogg, who’s brought his star appeal to the Paris Olympics with multiple appearances on NBC, kept his momentum going in a pre-taped show from his native California. After he performed “Drop It Like Its Hot,” the rapper brought out Dr. Dre as they rapped their classic “The Next Episode” in Long Beach, California.

Billie Eilish performed “Birds of a Feather” from her third studio album “Hit Me Hard and Soft.” Red Hot Chili Peppers performed the 2003 jam “Can’t Stop.”

Tom Cruise makes grand entrance

Like his many “Mission: Impossible” stunts, Tom Cruise dropped from the top of Stade de France while H.E.R. played her guitar. He rode a motorcycle through the audience as H.E.R. played her guitar. In a prerecorded sequence, he went through Paris before heading into a plane the parachuting into in a farmland.

H.E.R. sings U.S. national anthem

With a guitar in hand, H.E.R. sang the U.S. national anthem while Simone Biles and Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass stood behind her. She played on her custom-built Stratocaster during the Paris handover to Los Angeles.

Other music acts!

• If you missed who performed during closing ceremony, we’re here to help. Parisian singer-model Yseult closed out the show sang the rendition of Frank Sinatra’s classic “My Way,” which derives from the French song “Comme d’habitude,” composed by Jacques Revaux and Claude François.
• French band Phoenix’s performing so electrifying that some athletes couldn’t keep off the stage. Security tried to corral Olympians off the stage. The Grammy-winning band performed “Lisztomania” and “If I Ever Feel Better.” Ezra Koenig played the song “Tonight.”

AP Summer Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games

Malfunction junction: Elon Musk chats up Donald Trump amid X tech glitches

WASHINGTON - Billionaire and social media owner Elon Musk conducted a very friendly interview Monday with his endorsed 2024 presidential candidate, Republican Donald Trump - once X was able to broadcast it after a glitch delayed the start by about 40 minutes.

Many thousands of X users could not hear a thing when the broadcast began at 8 p.m., eastern time, blocked by Internet denial of service troubles that have plagued the website in previous events.

"Worst case, we will proceed with a smaller number of live listeners and post the conversation later," Musk said in an X post as frustrated listeners complained.

The broadcast began shortly after 8:40 p.m., with Musk discussing how much he disliked "adversarial" interviews and millions of people listening in.

Instead, Musk spent much of the session by asking about the GOP nominee's assassination attempt and discussing their mutual opposition to illegal border crossings. Trump again announced he will soon be traveling back to Butler, Pa., site of last month's shooting .

When Musk called the assassination attempt "a very near thing," Trump said: "It was a miracle ... If I hadn't turned my head, yeah, I would not be talking to you right now, as much as I like you."

In his questioning, the X owner who endorsed Trump last month allowed him to attack Democratic opponent Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden without any pushback on issues like the economy and tense foreign relations. Trump repeated many of the same stories about his presidency he tells on the campaign trail.

The ex-president also denounced the criminal cases and lawsuits against him, again without any skepticism from Musk, who at one point attacked "abuse of the legal system."

The two men did not discuss campaign fundraising, though Trump marveled at the number of people tuned into the interview and joked at one point: "Do I get paid for this or not?"

Aides to Harris called the interview little more than a paid advertisement for the former president.

“Donald Trump’s extremism and dangerous Project 2025 agenda is a feature not a glitch of his campaign, which was on full display for those unlucky enough to listen in," said Harris campaign spokesperson Joseph Costello. "Trump’s entire campaign is in service of people like Elon Musk and himself - self-obsessed rich guys who will sell out the middle class and who cannot run a livestream in the year 2024.”

The pro-Trump crowd seemed pleased with the two-hour conversation, after numerous users expressed frustration with the problems that delayed the broadcast at its start.

"The @realDonaldTrump X space lets me in briefly and then says it’s unavailable," tweeted U.S. Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah. Later in the evening, Lee added : “Thank you, @realDonaldTrump, for your willingness to serve.”

The problems were reminiscent of the meltdown that marred Musk's 2023 interview with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to announce his presidential candidacy.

Some Trump supporters took the problems in stride. On X, activist Laura Loomer wrote: "President Trump broke the internet. Literally." Trump spokesman Steven Cheung also posted a tribute to "BREAKING THE INTERNET!"

The Trump team had hoped to use the event to raise money.

In another post on X, the campaign said: "This is the biggest interview in history, and now, we’re asking YOU to make this President Trump’s BIGGEST FUNDRAISING DAY EVER!"

Trump critics, meanwhile, reminded Internet viewers what the campaign said about DeSantis' problems during his X interview last year: "Glitchy. Tech issues. Uncomfortable silences. A complete failure to launch. And that's just the candidate."

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Billie eilish, h.e.r., snoop dogg and more perform at the paris olympics closing ceremony.

The Summer Games wrapped up with a star-studded celebration on Sunday.

By Tatiana Tenreyro

Tatiana Tenreyro

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The Paris Olympics closing ceremony was full of surprises Sunday and featured p erformances by Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg, H.E.R and Phoenix.

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Rapper VannDa joined in for “Funky Squaredance” and fellow French indie icons Air performed their song “Playground Love” with Phoenix. Another surprise was Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig, who performed “Tonight,” his collaborative track with the band. The set ended on a sweet note with frontman Thomas Mars jumping off the stage to mingle with the Olympians in the crowd.

After the handover for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, H.E.R. took the stage to perform the national anthem. Tom Cruise made a dramatic entrance , diving from the Stade de France onto the stage and shaking hands with athletes as H.E.R. played a bluesy guitar riff. Simone Biles, who won gold during her triumphant return to the games, then handed Cruise the U.S. Olympic flag, which he placed on a motorcycle before driving away.

A pretaped clip, soundtracked by the Red Hot Chili Peppers , showed Cruise riding his bike through Paris, boarding a plane to L.A. and skydiving to the Hollywood Sign. As previously reported by The Hollywood Reporter , the segment was shot by Fulwell 73, the production company co-run by James Corden and known for Hulu’s The Kardashians .

To commemorate the handover to Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics, some of the city’s most renowned artists performed live from Long Beach, California. The Red Hot Chili Peppers played their 2002 track “Can’t Stop,” and Billie Eilish performed “Birds of a Feather” from her recent album Hit Me Hard and Soft . Snoop Dogg , who has been helping NBC with primetime coverage throughout the Games, marked his homecoming by performing two of his biggest hits, “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and “Gin & Juice,” with a guest appearance by Dr. Dre.

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