From powering through emails to tackling the housework, music has become a constant backdrop to everyday life.
But while many people hit play without thinking, experts say the type of music you choose could have a significant impact on how well you focus, how much you remember, and even how motivated you feel.
Studies show that music can influence everything from mood to memory and concentration, activating multiple areas of the brain at once and helping reduce stress levels. Crucially, tempo plays a major role, with research suggesting music at different beats per minute can support different tasks.
The Perfect Playlist for Every Part of Your Day — According to a Music ExpertSarah Gillan, Head of Music at Kelvinside Academy, explained: “You want music that reduces the cognitive load and limits distraction. It should help you focus, not give you more to think about.”
Reading, learning and remembering
Best Beat Per Minute: 60–70 BPM
Popular songs that fit the BPM:
- “Someone Like You” – Adele
- “Before You Go” – Lewis Capaldi
- “Fix You” – Coldplay
- “When the party’s over – Billie Eilish
When you’re trying to absorb information, whether that’s revising, reading or learning something new, simplicity is key.
“The best music to listen to while revising is music without lyrics,” Sarah explained. “Anything that isn’t going to disturb your train of thought.”
She highlighted classical music, particularly baroque, as well as film and gaming soundtracks. “Gaming music is excellent because it was written to be engaging, but also not obtrusive,” she said. “So, it’s actually really good for concentration.”
Research supports this, showing instrumental music is less likely to interfere with memory and language-based tasks, while slower tempos can help reduce stress and support focus.
Familiarity also plays a powerful role. “If you have a playlist you’ve listened to over and over again and it just kind of goes on in the background,” Sarah said. “It can even help you retain information.”
Writing, creative work and ideas
Best Beat Per Minute: 70–90 BPM
Popular songs that fit the BPM:
- “Let It Be” – The Beatles
- “No Woman, No Cry” – Bob Marley
- “Thinking Out Loud” – Ed Sheeran
- “Counting Stars” – OneRepublic
Creative work benefits from a slight increase in energy.
“If you’re writing or doing something creative, you can go for something a little more upbeat,” Sarah explained. “Something that gets your creative juices flowing.”
However, she still advised keeping things controlled. “It shouldn’t be too distracting, but it should give you that energy,” she added.
Minimalist music and instrumental jazz are strong choices here. Sarah pointed to composers like Einaudi and Philip Glass, noting that “piano music can be really good as it’s something quite simple and flowing rather than too full or overwhelming.”
This aligns with findings that moderate tempos can help induce a relaxed but alert “alpha state”, which supports creativity and idea generation.
Deep focus and problem-solving
Best Beat Per Minute: 60–80 BPM
Popular songs that fit the BPM:
- “Stay With Me” – Sam Smith
- “Do I Wanna Know?” – Arctic Monkeys
- “Driver’s license” – Olivia Rodrigo
- “Let Her Go” – Passenger
For tasks that require sustained concentration, consistency is everything.
“You don’t want to be adding more to think about,” Sarah said. “You want to be taking that away so you can really focus on what you’re doing.”
She advised choosing music with similar tempo and volume throughout. “Look for pieces that are all quite similar, so you keep that stream of consciousness going.”
Ambient, lo-fi and minimalist tracks are particularly effective here, helping to create a steady mental rhythm.
Sarah also emphasised that personal preference still matters. “It should be quite personal to you,” she said. “If you don’t like it, it’s not going to reduce your stress.”
Housework and getting motivated
Best Beat Per Minute: 100–130 BPM
Popular songs that fit the BPM:
- “Uptown Funk” – Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars
- “Mr Brightside” – The Killers
- “Wake Me Up – Avicii”
- “Levitating” – Dua Lipa
When the goal is energy, faster music is your best friend.
“Rock and roll is great if you’re cleaning the house or trying to get going,” Sarah said, highlighting how upbeat tracks can help build momentum.
Unlike focus tasks, this is where lyrics and familiarity can actually work in your favour. Singing along or recognising songs can help boost motivation and make repetitive tasks feel easier.
“It’s about getting yourself moving,” she added. “Something that lifts your mood and gets you going.”
How to build your perfect everyday playlist
Create an “auditory bubble” with headphones
Headphones can help create a clear boundary between you and the world around you. By reducing background noise, they allow you to fully immerse yourself in your task.
Sarah described this as creating an “auditory bubble”. “It helps you feel zoned in,” she said, explaining that it can make it easier to settle into focused work.
She added that this can be especially useful in busy environments. Whether at home or in the office, headphones can help recreate a sense of control and consistency, making it easier to concentrate for longer.
Use gaming music for focus
Gaming music is one of the most effective and overlooked tools for productivity.
“It’s written so that people can listen to it for hours,” Sarah explained. “It has to be engaging, but it can’t be distracting or annoying.”
Because of this, it naturally supports long periods of focus. The structure and repetition help keep your brain engaged without pulling attention away from the task itself.
Sarah said this makes it ideal for both work and study. “It’s designed for concentration,” she added, “which is exactly what you need.”
Switch to instrumental or karaoke versions
If you enjoy music with lyrics but find it distracting, there is a simple workaround.
“You can look for instrumental or karaoke versions of songs you already like,” Sarah said. “There are loads of them on YouTube and Spotify.”
This allows you to keep the familiarity and comfort of your favourite tracks, without competing with your brain’s language processing.
“It’s a really good compromise,” she added. “You still get the music you enjoy, but without the distraction.”
Photo by Ivan S: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-with-headphones-holding-a-smartphone-4162581/
