With school well under way at this point in the year, studying for tests has become a more relevant activity. A good way to optimize this study time is by listening to music as you work. According to an article from Florida National University, “Perhaps one of the most compelling reasons to listen to music during a study session is because music is proven to help improve cognitive performance. Basically, music helps your brain function…If you want to improve brain performance while studying, evidence now shows that you must first improve your emotional state by listening to music that you enjoy!” Here are four albums to study to, from various genres, and what the benefits of listening to each one are.

Album Name: The 50 Greatest Pieces of Classical Music

Artist: London Philharmonic Orchestra

Genre: Classical

Description: This album is a compilation of what are widely considered to be some of the greatest pieces of classical music as performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Study Benefits: Listening to classical music while studying improves concentration and memory. A study was done where people listened to a lecture and then answered questions about it; one group listening to classical music and one not. The researchers wrote, “It is possible that music, provoking a change in the learning environment, influenced the students’ motivation to remain focused during the lecture, which led to better performance on the multiple-choice quiz.”

Album Name: Music for Airports

Artist: Brian Eno

Genre: Ambient Music

Description: Designed specifically to calm down airport travelers from the hectic hustle and bustle around them, this is the perfect album for reducing studying stress.

Study Benefits: The calming beats in Music for Airports are good for stress relief. According to Nicky Davis, writer for Study.com, “Music that is soothing and relaxing can help students to beat stress or anxiety while studying.”

Album Name: Cosmogenesis

Artist: Gru

Genres: Progressive Metal, Djent, Jazz Fusion

Description: Gru’s Cosmogenesis is a progressive metal album with themes of outer space, each song named after different planetary or space related words, such as “Nebula” and “Aurora.”

Study Benefits: Metal music can be more complex than other genres in terms of their melodies and harmonies. Fist, a writer for Metal Nexus says, “Complex music genres are more effective in exercising your brain, so metal is an ideal exercise tool for your brain.” 

Album Name: Zelda & Chill

Artist: GameChops and Mikel

Genre: Lo Fi Hip Hop

Description: Zelda & Chill is a lo fi version of many beloved songs from the soundtracks of the video game series “The Legend of Zelda.” 

Study Benefits: “Lo Fi,” or low fidelity music, contains background noise, hums, distortions, and limited frequency responses or otherwise low quality sounds that “can trigger the cerebrum and can help a student focus on a test or a homework assignment,” according to writer of the Hyde School Blog, Brenden Lutes.

After choosing an album that suits your musical tastes, you are now ready to reap the benefits of the music you listen to by reducing anxiety and improving memory. Happy studying!