50+ links from 14 days ago https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14745343

I tend to hop over on soma.fm and pick a station. Usually "Sonic Universe" but I sometimes bounce around to the folk stuff, dubstep, celtic, etc.

Overall I like listening to either instrumental stuff or stuff I've never heard before, I feel like listening to songs with words that I know becomes a distraction somehow.

Interestingly, while driving and doing chores it's the exact opposite - I'm always relistening to songs I've heard a million times :)

I don't code, I do financial reporting, but I figured I'd answer anyway.

When I am doing tedious tasks that don't require much brainpower, I listen to hiphop/R&B (my favorite genre).

For actual hard analytical work, I listen almost exclusively to lo-fi hiphop. I need the drums for pacing and energy, but the instrumentals are very soothing and non-distracting. I'd seriously recommend trying lo-fi out if you like hiphop.

Primarily video game soundtracks. They're made to play in the background while you perform tasks and come in all sorts of moods / intensity levels.

Favorites:

- FTL

- Crypt of the Necrodancer

- Shatter

- Skyrim

- Deus Ex (all)

- Frozen Synapse

- Mirror's Edge

- Anno (all)

- Civilization (esp. Beyond Earth)

- Transistor and Bastion (skipping vocal tracks)

- Ori, Journey, Flower

Also House, Dubstep, etc., though it's hard to find mixes without vocal tracks.

MCMXC a.D. By Enigma

Music for Programming

Music for the masses by Depeche Mode

Syro by Aphex Twin

The inevitable end by Royksopp

Dead can dance by Dead can dance

Ghost in the shell soundtrack by Kenji Kawaii

I also listen to a lot of podcasts lately though I tend to tune them out and they become mostly white noise.

I listen to the same rap albums over and over again.

The up-tempo beats and lyrics keep me well paced throughout the day

The first part of my day is spent listening to either Kanye West's discography or Kid Cudi's discography (omitting some of his experimental stuff) then I might mix in other albums after lunch

I listen almost exclusively to EDM mixes.

Podcasts or YouTube videos are usually about an hour long, and the songs are mixed so they flow continuously from one to the next.

I find the constant beat, and somewhat repetitive melodies and rhythms help to get me into a state of flow.

I like this site: https://www.focusatwill.com/music/#player . My favorites are the Focus Spa and Einstein's Genius channels.

I play sitar or flute music on youtube. I feel that it increases my concentration a lot and helps me focus as it doesn't has any lyrics and the music calms the mind.

Dance drum and bass. ironically it keeps me at a mid level steady pace. either that or spotify's "music for concentration" playlist.

Sex Pistols and Dead Kennedys

Piano - The Best Of YIRUMA