Does Music Help You Study?

Ever wondered if blasting your favourite tunes actually helps you revise, or if you're just fooling yourself? It’s an interesting question. Many students swear by their study playlists, whilst others insist silence is the only way to focus.

The truth is, music and studying have a complicated relationship. Sometimes music helps you power through boring tasks. Other times it completely derails your concentration.

In this guide, we’ll break down what science actually says about music and studying. We’ll also go through some practical tips for figuring out what works best for you.

Key Takeaways

• Music can boost your mood, motivation, and focus - but it doesn't work for everyone or every task.

• The effect depends heavily on what you're studying and what type of music you're listening to.

• Lyrics are particularly distracting when you're reading or writing, as your brain struggles to process words from two sources.

• Instrumental music like classical, lo-fi, or ambient sounds typically works best for deep focus work.

What the Research Says About Music and Studying

Research shows music may help reduce stress (opens in a new tab), improve some aspects of memory (opens in a new tab), and boost cognitive function - all things that can help with concentration. But it's not straightforward.

Other studies suggest the opposite: that music may actually distract (opens in a new tab) you and reduce working memory capacity (opens in a new tab). So, what gives?

The so-called "Mozart Effect (opens in a new tab)", coined in the 90’s, suggested that listening to classical music made you smarter. Turns out, that was massively oversimplified. Music doesn't magically boost your IQ.

What we do know from cognitive load theory is that your brain has limited processing capacity. Trying to process both study material and music (opens in a new tab) simultaneously might reduce overall comprehension and retention.

Recent research found that music with higher intensity (opens in a new tab) is more distracting and has a greater effect on task performance and concentration. Basically, loud or complex music steals mental resources from your actual work.

Music can genuinely help reduce anxiety before or during study sessions. If you're feeling stressed about an exam, the right playlist might calm your nerves enough to actually get started.

When Music Can Be Helpful

• Repetitive tasks like making flashcards, creating mind maps, or reorganising notes work brilliantly with background music. Your brain doesn't need full focus, so music just makes it less boring.

• Blocking out background noise in loud environments is where music can really help. If you're in a busy common room or café, headphones with music create a consistent sound barrier.

• Boosting motivation when your energy is low makes music a game-changer. Sometimes you just can't face starting revision - a good playlist can kick you into gear.

• Enhancing mood to reduce procrastination works wonders. If music makes you feel more positive (opens in a new tab), you're more likely to actually sit down and study, instead of scrolling.

When Music Might Be Distracting

Reading comprehension or writing essays becomes significantly harder with music playing, especially songs with lyrics. Your brain tries to process the words you're reading AND the words you're hearing.

Learning new or complex concepts requires your full attention. When you're trying to understand mitochondria for the first time, Taylor Swift's latest hit isn't helping.

Tasks requiring memorisation or critical thinking need quiet for most people. Remembering dates, formulas, or vocabulary lists works better without competing audio input.

Switching between genres or songs too often breaks your flow. Every time you skip a track or change playlists, you interrupt your concentration.

Best Types of Music for Studying

• Lo-fi hip hop has become massively popular for studying. Those chill beats with no lyrics provide rhythm without distraction. There's a reason the "lofi hip hop radio - beats to relax/study to" stream has millions of viewers.

• Instrumental and classical music work brilliantly because there are no competing words. Your brain can process the melody without linguistic interference.

• Nature sounds or ambient noise - rain, waves, forest sounds - create consistent background without the structure of actual music. Some people find this perfect for concentration.

• Jazz or soft piano provides gentle rhythm and melody without being intrusive. The key is choosing smooth jazz, not complex bebop.

Avoid: Songs with lyrics during focused work, anything with heavy bass that demands attention, or emotionally charged songs that make you feel things instead of think things.

Music vs Silence: Which Is Better?

The honest answer? It depends completely on your environment, your task, and your personal preference.

Research shows silence is typically best for memory tasks and learning new information. Your brain can dedicate all resources to encoding new knowledge.

Music can be better than unpredictable background noise though. Constant chatter or random sounds are more distracting than consistent music.

Consider trying white noise (intensity evenly balanced across all frequencies), brown noise (emphasis in the lower frequencies), or ambient café sounds as alternatives to both music and silence. These provide sound masking without melody or rhythm to potentially distract you.

Different tasks need different approaches. You might study Maths in silence but make Biology flashcards with music playing.

How to Build Your Own Study Playlist

• Choose instrumental versions of songs you love. You get the familiarity without the lyric distraction.

• Keep tempo moderate - around 60-80 beats per minute. This matches a calm heartbeat and promotes relaxation without inducing sleepiness.

• Stick to one genre throughout your study session to avoid the distraction of switching between very different sounds.

• Use longer tracks or curated playlists so you're not constantly clicking "next". Every interruption breaks your concentration.

• Popular, ready-made options include Spotify's "Deep Focus (opens in a new tab)" and "Peaceful Piano (opens in a new tab)" playlists, or YouTube's endless lo-fi (opens in a new tab) streams.

Check out our tips for creating the perfect study space to supercharge your study sessions. 

Try It Yourself: Find What Works For You

Experiment with music for one type of task and silence for another. Maybe music works brilliantly for problem sheets but terribly for essay writing.

Track your productivity levels with and without music. Notice which tasks you complete faster and which feel easier.

Try apps like Noisli (opens in a new tab) (customisable background sounds), Brain.fm (opens in a new tab) (music designed for focus), or Spotify's focus playlists to find your perfect study soundtrack.

Everyone's brain works differently. Some people genuinely can't focus without music, whilst others need complete silence. Neither approach is wrong.

Pay attention to whether music is actually helping or just feels like it's helping, and decide for yourself. Our article on how to stay focused during revision can help you with more ideas.

Music certainly works for some. For example, Matt (opens in a new tab), a student at Wrexham Uni, says: “When I study for my exams, I like to listen to music as it helps me to destress and focus on the task at hand, I also feel that it helps to be more productive. In addition to this, I try to associate the things I'm learning with the song as this helps with my recall of the information.”

Frequently Asked Questions

Does music really help with focus or is it a myth?

It's complicated. Music can help with focus for certain tasks and certain people, but it's not a universal solution. Research shows music may boost mood and motivation, which indirectly helps productivity. However, it can also divide attention and reduce performance on complex tasks requiring deep thinking.

What's the best music for revision?

Instrumental music without lyrics works best for most people. Lo-fi hip hop, classical music, ambient sounds, or soft piano provide rhythm and background without linguistic interference. Avoid anything with words, heavy bass, or emotional content that grabs your attention away from your work.

Does music improve memory or concentration?

The evidence is mixed. Music might help with mood and motivation, but it doesn't directly improve memory formation for most people. In fact, silence typically works better for memorisation tasks. Music's main benefit is creating a pleasant study environment and blocking distracting background noise.

Final Thoughts

Does music help you study? Music can absolutely be a powerful study aid - but only if you use it strategically for the right tasks at the right times.

The key is choosing your music carefully based on what you're actually doing. Making flashcards? Music's probably fine. Learning new content? Maybe try silence. In addition, there are some apps that can help with your revision.

Use science as your guide, but remember that everyone's brain works a bit differently. What matters is honest self-assessment as to whether music genuinely helps you or just makes studying feel less boring.

References:

• Mozart Effect (opens in a new tab)

• The effect of music on the human stress response (2013) (opens in a new tab)

• Do you listen to music while studying? A portrait of how people use music to optimize their cognitive performance (2021) (opens in a new tab)

• Effects of Background Music on Phonological Short-Term Memory (1989) (opens in a new tab)

• Is it OK to listen to music while studying? - University of Wollongong (2019) (opens in a new tab)

• The Influence of Background Music on Learning in the Light of Different Theoretical Perspectives and the Role of Working Memory Capacity (2017) (opens in a new tab)

• Do you listen to music while studying? A portrait of how people use music to optimize their cognitive performance (2021) (opens in a new tab)