
Ask HN: Best Music Background to Work? - samrohn
What&#x27;s your favourite music when you code,design or work in general?
======
wirddin
I sometimes listen to tracks from musicForProgramming[0] website, and I
usually download the ones which I like and then play them off the offline
music player.

Other than that, I have some Spotify playlists saved (not from me, some links
I found on Twitter and other sites) [1,2]

[0] [https://musicforprogramming.net](https://musicforprogramming.net)

[1]
[https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6dlwJYNRdkTfZMALZclyIx?si=...](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6dlwJYNRdkTfZMALZclyIx?si=XUhjP1S1T5aphW-
qtolZfA)

[2]
[https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2u5h5ZloqSXRuDMTrRincp?si=...](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2u5h5ZloqSXRuDMTrRincp?si=2U7xFZlqTMOre_hlRWpjYQ)

------
stevekemp
I suspect this is a deeply personal question, like asking people "C++ coders
what fiction do you read at home?"

Regardless I'm currently listening to Rammstein, I often listen to Queen,
Depeche Mode, and soundracks from films such as LotR, 300, Blade, Resident
Evil. I've spent a lot of time listening to the soundtracks to the various
Fast&Furious films over the last month. Maybe next month I'll have more
classical-music.

------
notadoctor_ssh
I usually have the Lo-fi beats playlist[1] on Spotify playing.

[1]
[https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DWWQRwui0ExPn?si=...](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DWWQRwui0ExPn?si=4ogiJDYBR8y_VdGrmx1e4w)

~~~
santa_boy
Yes ... I'm actually flexible with music but quite often use the "Focus" genre
on Spotify for work that requires more thought. I like the "Deep Focus"
Playlist too
([https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DWZeKCadgRdKQ?si=...](https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DWZeKCadgRdKQ?si=-BbLZUF6SHKHE2tr42ZiQA))

------
stagas
Ketapop, chillrave[0] - I find they have the right amount of ambience and
novelty to not be too boring to make you drowsy or too interesting to be
distracting so they can peacefully sit in the background all day long giving
you a bit of rhythm but also letting you focus.

[0]: [https://soundcloud.com/gina-sabatini/kitti-
mimizan-b2b-gina-...](https://soundcloud.com/gina-sabatini/kitti-
mimizan-b2b-gina-sabatini-love-meier-11012019)

------
dublin
Usually classical, jazz, or Celtic/ambient. Words are only allowed when I'm
doing something mindless and rote - anything that requires real thinking,
especially writing, will have the lyrics take the quality down a couple of
notches - not a lot, but enough to be noticeable. The only exception is pure
non-verbal creative work (CAD, graphic design, etc.) where relaxation is key -
there, Jimmy Buffett, or old country or pop music can be quite useful.

------
yesenadam
Silence.

(I've been a musician and programmed all my life too, but never have music
playing when concentration is needed, i.e. when programming. When music is on,
I concentrate on the music! It seems so weird to me that people would attempt
some complex programming task with music playing! Hmm and mostly when I do
want music these days it comes out of me: I imagine/remember it–hear my
favourite stuff in my head, or imagine playing it, or tap rhythms, or play an
instrument..)

~~~
hydrox24
I've found this to be the right thing to do for several reasons.

1\. Music does not improve my concentration in the long term. It will help for
a few hours and then make it harder to focus after that.

2\. Headphones make me less approachable at work, and I want to contribute to
a positive team culture by being easy to chat to. If I need to buckle down I
will work from home.

3\. Headphones make it much more tempting to watch youtube, or listen to
podcasts in the background. Without headphones I find it much easier to keep
myself on track.

4\. Most importantly, silence at work makes me appreciate music a whole lot
more when I do listen to it, because it is no longer simply background noise,
it feels worthy of attention. On top of that, I am more capable of listening
to more demanding and more rewarding music.

------
muzani
When trying to get into flow, I prefer fast paced music, with a lot of rapid
beats. Metal is a natural pick, but even things like K-Pop works.

When in flow, I want things that maintain the same beat. I'll often play the
same song in loop. Lately I've been looping Dance Monkey/Toss a Coin to Your
Witcher for hours. Basically it's the songs that go 1234 1234 1234 123 123 123
1234 1234 1234.

------
kwiromeo
I am a big fan of N'to and the sets from artist from the label Hungry Music. I
believe the genre is deep house. This set is my go to at work

[Link] [https://m.soundcloud.com/zubkow-ilya/nto-live-tour-saint-
jac...](https://m.soundcloud.com/zubkow-ilya/nto-live-tour-saint-jacques-for-
cercle)

------
goseo2019
I love hear felix music
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RUzfOff5q0&list=PLDsQg9WjiO...](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RUzfOff5q0&list=PLDsQg9WjiOwt6HbI7dhp_Thjh454fda4H)

------
brandfilt
My absolute favourites are Abul Mogard's Works album and most albums by
Alessandro Cortini. If I want something more high energy, I just find a techno
or psytrance playlist from Spotify without paying much attention to which
artist is playing.

------
sloaken
I vary between Classical, usually when designing, to something upbeat when
coding.

------
odomojuli
Similar discussion here:

[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19579216](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=19579216)

------
trumbitta2
Kimbra - Vows and Marina and the Diamonds - Family Jewels

------
kleer001
Nothing with words or I get really distracted. Well, unless I really know the
music, but even then it's a bit distracting.

------
rzzzwilson
It doesn't really matter. Once you are concentrating and "in the flow" you
don't hear it.

~~~
muzani
I think the question is more, "What do you not hear? What puts you in the flow
fastest?"

My roommate used to play Jack Johnston, The White Stripes, and Muse, and these
felt terrible for my concentration.

------
throw_this_one
Basic Channel, Maurizio, Quadrant

------
eti
some ambient music, usually whatever comes up on spotify. i do like listening
to my soundcloud stream whenever i get the chance, but that tends to have less
focus-friendly tracks.

------
machtesh
The soundtrack from The Social Network

------
zzo38computer
I usually have no music.

------
karmakaze
Foreign rock/pop

