Music to Study to:

I’ve been an avid music listener since I was younger. I consider myself a cheap person, but when it comes to audio, I’m willing to spend whatever for the best quality. Clarity, bass, noise cancellation are all necessary to have the best music listening experience.

Since I listen to music a minimum of 4-6 hours a day, I spent some time thinking. Generally, when it comes to work or study music, I pick different playlists depending on my mood and also what I’m trying to accomplish during that time.

I’ll list a few:

-Morning Kpop playlist: helps me get in the zone for work when I first wake up.

-Classical mix for when I need to focus on every email I send out to a customer while keeping a low intensity.

-Reggaeton: This is for when I’m in a good mood and am already working at a good pace. The beats help me keep the consistency I need.

-Anime OP and CL playlist: For when I am dealing with critical issues at work, and everything is on fire. (Over the last month, I’ve been listening to this more than I’d like to admit)

-90’s & 00’s Rock Playlist: This one is for when I am confident in whatever I’m dealing with for work and can’t wait to play my guitar as soon as I log off.

-Kpop 2 playlist: When everything is going wrong, and I need to be reminded, I am incredible.

If I included all the songs on those playlists here and why I love them, this would quickly turn into a thesis. I challenged myself to take the top 10 songs from all these lists and compiled 30 into my ultimate focus tunes.

You can check it out here:

When I get up at 8 am in the morning, the first song blasting through my speakers is:

Get Loud By Twice

I’ll start by saying the bass on this song is incredible. The vocals of this song sound better than the majority of Twice’s songs, old and new. The production of this is well done. The song has a club vibe with familiar tropical elements equivalent to a morning cup of coffee.

What sold me on the making this the perfect morning song is the lyrics. The main vocalist, Jihyo, had said that she wrote the lyrics on the piece when she was angry. With a line like “In no time the scars will heal, it’s just a moment that will slip by.” That’s enough to make me confident enough that I can conquer the day.

Si Me Dices Que Si by Reik, Farruko, Camilo

Reik is one of my favorite bands. The lyrics to all of their songs are raw and can trigger any emotion. While the band is pop, this crossover into the urban space gives the song that consistent reggaeton beat. Every time this song comes on, I keep a tissue nearby and close my eyes. By the time the song is over, I’m ready to get work done.

Violin Sonata No. 9 (Kreutzer) First Movement by Beethoven

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W9tHzR9yKY

The dynamic of the piano and violin keeps me captivated for the entire 12 minutes. Specifically, in the link listed above, my favorite rendition is from Yuna Shinohara. The intonation is perfect, and the emotional scope shows as the piece progresses. The slow opening works perfectly for the first song to put on. Simultaneously, you need to channel your inner focus. The gradual build-up is what you need to maintain that high energy.

Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20

Violins are my weakness, and the technicality of this piece is breathtaking. Throughout the entirety of the piece, I’m transported into a place where I believe that anything is possible. While the tone continuously shifts, my focus narrows, and just as I’m traveling through places in my mind, my productivity is reaching heights.

From The Seeds By Mone Kamishiraishi

This song first caught my attention by the anime 7 Seeds. The tempo is on the slower side at the beginning but meshes perfectly with the guitar. Mone Kamishiraishi’s vocals blend perfectly with the instruments shines through when the tempo picks up.

Last Stardust By Aimer

I could’ve easily chosen Aimer’s songs for this entire list because she is a phenomenal artist. Her tone is light, but her vibrato is incredibly powerful. Last Stardust is one of my favorite songs from her. The high notes and emotion throughout the song transport me. It wasn’t until I looked up the translated lyrics of the song, where I realized the power it had to motivate me. “Even if getting wounded is my fate, my heart will still release color.” When the song hits that line, I’m in the zone and ready to go.

C14TORCE III By Cazzu

Cazzu’s is entrancing, regardless. Singing or rapping, she has my heart. While this a song about breakup and feeling lost, I feel at ease and calm with anything I am doing. If I put this song on while working on a pape, all anxiety I have melts away.

Secret Crowds By Angels and Airwaves

Name a song with more motivational lyrics than this one? I’ll wait because it doesn’t exist. For over a decade, this song has been picking me up whenever I’m down. The song is catchy; the energy is infectious, and always reminds me I can do my best.

Oh My God by (G)Idle

This song is made me pay attention to K-pop, which is interesting because this song doesn’t have many elements that are typical in the genre. The tempo throughout the verses is on the higher side, but once the beat drops, I’m forced into session mode for working.

Lacrymosa by Evanescence

Like Aimer, Amy Lee can serenade me for the rest of my life, and I will die happy. Evanescence, at its core, is a metal band. Decently heavy guitar, powerful drums, and this song are no different apart from the piece it samples. Mozart’s Requiem 3rd movement. While the entirety of the Requiem is a masterpiece, the dark vibe of the 3rd movement has always made me feel at ease. Coupled with electric guitar and Amy Lee’s Vocals keeps my energy high.

While all the songs on my list aren’t typical low tempo music, every time I hear these songs, I feel like the music is breathing new life into me, preparing me for whatever hill I am ready to overcome.