New Research Finds That People Study Better With Music On In The Background

The survey of 2,000 general population Americans looked at the tie between music and study habits and found those who play music were likelier to have better grades overall.

Results showed that half of the respondents recall regularly listening to music while studying, and 60% said they were able to study better with sound on in the background.

And this trend continues beyond the classroom and into the workplace. Currently, two in three people listen to music while working. Most of those respondents feel more productive at work when listening to music, and said that it makes them look forward to working more.

Of those that do listen to music while studying, 80% agree that it’s therapeutic and three in four said it helped them absorb information more.

Similarly, 81% of those who listen to music while studying said it helps make their learning experience more enjoyable.

The survey found that classical music, R&B and country are among the top genres people would recommend for a productive study session.

And some didn’t just stop at music, also citing nature sounds, real-life sounds and podcasts as pleasant background noise when studying.

Those who listened to music while studying were also more likely to use mnemonic devices, notecards or other creative tools to help them memorize information.

Top Genres To Listen To While Studying

1. Classical - 31%
2. R&B - 28% [TIED]
3. Classic - 28% [TIED]
4. Country - 28%
5. Rock - 26%
6. Old favourites - 26%
7. Gospel - 25%
8. Jazz - 23%
9. Hip hop - 22%
10. Pop/Top 100 - 21% [TIED]
11. Instrumental soundtracks - 21% [TIED]