I’ve always been a soundtrack skeptic; I’d much rather listen to songs on the radio or from my favorite artist than from a movie or video game. But with finals in swing, listening to the catchiest tunes may not be the best idea — scientifically. According to a 2012 study of over 100 people, background music with lyrics tends to distract people from studying. With this in mind, it may be your best bet to go into finals with something wordless queued up, like a soundtrack from your favorite video game.
Video game music doesn’t just help you not lose focus — it can actually help you focus better. According to a study conducted on open-floor plan offices in Finland, participants were found to be better at proofreading when listening to wordless background sounds or music, like video game music. Composer Josie Brechner, who makes music for video games, attributes this to the nature of game music being repetitive but varying songs that are supposed to blend into the background while the player accomplishes a task.
Of course, video game music varies from game to task to task, just like studying. For creative tasks like essay writing or brainstorming, I recommend chiller, ambient music that will blend into the background, like the Minecraft soundtrack. But if you’re trying to bang out an essay in one night (or an article, say) or about to embark on a heavy cram session, turning to something more upbeat like the Mario Kart-level themes is a popular method. If you’re not a big gamer or into traditional video game music, video game soundtracks still have a lot to offer you. My best recommendation would be the Cookie Clicker theme, which is a super relaxing Lofi-style beat that doesn’t sound like it’s from a video game at all.
So, this study season, the choice is yours. Just know that video game soundtracks have got you covered for any Game Overs.
