Creating the perfect study playlist is ideal. It can significantly enhance productivity and focus while studying. Here's a guide to help you craft the perfect playlist for conquering your goals:
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Get notified of top trending articles like this one every week! (we won't spam you)1. Choosing the Right Type of Music
Instrumental and Minimalist Music: Lyrics can be more distracting while studying a topic requiring heavy focus, especially in the evening, so avoid the lyrics and go for instrumental music. Choose genres like classical, Lo-fi Beats, Ambient, Electronic, and Nature Sounds. These genres provide a calming, relaxing environment that increases concentration and focus.
Lo-fi hip-hop playlists on YouTube or Spotify are great for Lo-fi beat genres. Preference for pure tranquility can guide you to look for sounds like rain, ocean waves, or forest noises in the genre of Natural Sound.
Genres to Avoid: High-energy music with lyrics such as pop, rap, or heavy metal can distract you from studying and decrease your concentration, so itβs best to leave these out of your playlist to create the perfect study playlist.

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2. Playlist Duration
If your aim is for a 2 to 3-hour study plan, a short playlist is better. The Pomodoro Technique breaks study time into approximately 25-minute intervals with shortened breaks of 10 to 15 minutes. To align your playlist with this plan, you can make it 25-30 minutes long with a variety of different songs. This will help refresh your mind and improve your concentration!

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3. Personal Suggestions for a Balanced Playlist
I recommend jazz. I feel very relaxed and concentrated while listening to jazz. It fits well with my mind and thoughts.
I seem to be especially drawn toward Ethio-jazz, which is jazz originating from the inspiration of traditional Ethiopian music. It is relaxing, fun, and upbeat.
Here are the names of some jazz albums/artists:
- Miles Davis β Kind of Blue
- Thelonious Monk β Monk's Dream
- Grover Washington Jr. β Winelight
- John Coltrane β A Love Supreme
- Stan Getz β Getz/Gilberto
- Bill Evans β Sunday at the Village Vanguard
- Bill Frisell β Gone, Just Like a Train
- Esperanza Spalding β Chamber Music Society
- Chet Baker β Chet Baker Sings
- Robert Glasper β Black Radio
- George Benson β Breezin
- Kamasi Washington β The Epic

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4. Additional Tips:
Keep the tempo of the music simple and slow. While studying, high-volume sound decreases concentration. Slow and low-volume music is ideal for creating a calming playlist. Slower music has a more soothing effect on the mind, helping you concentrate better and stay focused during your studies.
Do not include music by your favorite artists. Including music from your favorite artists may reduce your concentration. You might feel tempted to enjoy the music or hum, distracting you from your studies. You need to stay completely engrossed in your work, not the music.

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Hopefully, this article gave you tips on creating the best playlist for your study sessions! The right music can help you stay focused and motivated, making it easier to crush your goals! If you're looking for somewhere to start, Spotify and YouTube also provide some study playlists.