Music can be an effective tool to make study more engaging, however, the wrong music is likely to have you chanting lyrics or raving instead of dig straight into the books.
Studies have shown that classical musical tends to be the best performer. I know, I know, classical isn't exactly the most tasteful music for us but it does derive some benefits.
When choosing your study playlist, consider the following tips:
Songs should feature as little lyrics as possible. Lyrics tend to collide with your in-brain voice that's reading and comprehending text
Songs should feature a slow or soft rhythm to allow the mind to focus as much as possible. (You can include a few upbeat songs at the start of studying to put you in an energetic mood).
Songs with an acoustic background tend to work best
Have a favourite song but want to make it suitable for study? Download an instrumental instead. (Like I do with Don't Stop Believing by Journey)
The Best Music for Study? No Music
Obviously, the best music for study is no music. But if you're doing light study such as review flashcards or creating notes, a little bit of background music can assist in making that experience a little less terrible.
For intensive study, like completing a practice paper, always remove any background music and distractions.
Curious to what I listen to?
Not all of my songs in my study playlist meet the above tips, but they generally follow a common theme of acoustic songs with a soft beat.
Checkout my Apple Music playlist below, designed to give you a good 1.5 hours of music. Hopefully you can find some inspiration out of those popular songs!