Study methods are different for everyone, no matter the major, grade level, or career field. We all have our own procedures, scheduling processes, and work times.
The structure of studying is malleable in such an open and diverse way, but aside from the initial three ideas, there’s another big one:
Environment.
Last semester, we discussed different places on and off campus to study for finals and, of course, in general. Though the environment is more than just a place, another big part of a study environment can be music!
Often, when studying, people will choose songs that are purely Lofi in nature or the exact opposite; some people can revise notes and do projects with heavy metal in their ears.
That’s the interesting and unique thing about the study process. Studying definitely involves strategy and precision, or if it’s easy for some, maybe it’s only about the environment.
Whether it be musical soundtracks on Spotify or older music on YouTube, we have collected a group of either playlists or long-form videos with specific obscure genres or unique vibes that may help different students in their studies!
If you already have your own music playlist or specific genres that help you after reading this blog, we here at WOLF Radio are more than open to discussing them with you all on social media!
Musical soundtracks on Spotify are quite popular for studying, primarily if the person studying can focus with lyrics in their ear.
They are also really easy to find if you use Spotify, as all that needs to be typed in is “Broadway songs to study.” Playlists on Spotify can either be made by the app itself or by other students and artists there for studying to their favorite songs as well!
Other options on YouTube are quite varied and widespread.
Classical music has always been used for a relaxing time. In movies, they can be used to set a scene or simply to show a character calming down.
With that in mind, the classical music related to studying that we could find was just the opposite. If your way of getting focused is a time crunch, then “Classical Music for When You’re on a Deadline” will be perfect for you.
There are all kinds of variations, so if you find a video with music you don’t particularly like, there are many more with the same name!
Gaming soundtracks are notorious for helping those who’ve played them study; Mario, Sonic, and Pokémon are usually the ones that fit the bill, but there are more, such as the Omori and Persona soundtracks.
Pokémon can be quite varied with the genres of its songs, so with them, you can find faster songs for a high-pressure study session or slower songs with beautiful arrangements that will calm you down while revising for any exam.
Mario and Sonic use quicker music that focuses on a vibe that resembles a peaceful beachside, or you’ve just slain a dragon once the song is done. Either way, these two are classics that seemed to be listened to quite frequently from the comments.
Nintendo games are generally the most popular when it comes to soundtracks, especially when it comes to ones that have varied music and multiple sorts of uses; while the Mario games are likely the most popular in this regard, there are tons of series out there like Splatoon or Kirby that have qualities of study music.
Like the previous classical music video, typically, the songs will be ordered together in a long-form video that features them out of order with other songs with which they flow well.
The Persona and Omori soundtracks can feature softer instrumentations or a jazz vibe that makes the listener feel like they just happened in a 1920s coffee shop.
The Legend of Zelda and Undertale are featured among these soundtracks as well. These particular soundtracks can lean more into ancient fantasy or piano medleys, respectively.
After asking quite a few music students for an unbiased opinion, many of them said that they had introduced friends to these soundtracks and music playlists, to which most of their friends took quite a liking.
The critical thing to remember about all of the possible videos is that the word “study” isn’t just in the context of this blog, but it is a key phrase you’ll have to look up, especially for any video game soundtracks.
Video games may not be among most people’s interests, so if the soundtracks don’t sound promising, there are different kinds of “energy boost playlists” on YouTube.
Those are based less on a person’s enjoyment of any particular thing but more on an activity that is being completed and the vibe the person would enjoy listening to.
These playlists often feature a mix of City Pop, a specific kind of music that was popular in Japan around the 1970s and the 1980s. It is still a very popular kind of music which has begun to be used as a form of focus for those who don’t mind a more upbeat study time.
They also often feature Bedroom Pop, which is most categorically known as an offshoot of Indie Pop and is known for emulating a lo-fi sound. However, it can still have words and faster-paced instrumentation; some even feature a bit of a soft rock vibe.
After doing research on all of these videos, we noticed that there is a wide assortment of some genres that are niche but also specific spins on popular genres or artists.
Circling back to classical music, many of the top artists in 2024 have made their way into these long-form videos as classical music or even older kinds of music as covers. Studying can be fun and not as stressful if one can find their specific genre or niche and use it to make themselves comfortable!
