7 votes

What music do you listen to while reading?

What do you like to listen to while you're reading?

Lately I've been listening to Explosions in the Sky, El Ten Eleven and Bonobo.

I'm open to pretty much any genre, anyone have any suggestions?

7 comments

  1. NamelessThirteenth
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    I don't. I've tried having some background music while reading but it usually distracts me too much.

    I don't. I've tried having some background music while reading but it usually distracts me too much.

    4 votes
  2. Whom
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    I generally don't listen to music while reading except on the rare occasion of a re-read or if I really don't care about something that I'm reading for a class (did this more than a few times...

    I generally don't listen to music while reading except on the rare occasion of a re-read or if I really don't care about something that I'm reading for a class (did this more than a few times during my Young Adult literature class last semester, I'm sorry Professor Reid!). If I haven't read something yet, I don't know the tone or what would fit. Worse, if I go for what I think would fit a book, I'm really supporting my own preconceived notions about it and it causes me to resist anything else that it tries to do.

    But on the occasions that I reread, it's usually something I'm very familiar with and don't have to think about having on. Boards of Canada, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Black Sabbath, DJ Shadow, J Dilla, Kraftwerk, etc. Not terribly exciting answers, I know, but that's the idea for me unless I want to curate a few albums to a specific book. I only want to listen to things that I've listened over and over so there isn't a single idea on there that can catch me off guard and take me out of the book.

    If I just don't give a shit though I pick something that looks interesting off RYM and play it so reading doesn't feel like a total waste of time. I think I found Toundra and Stars of the Lid that way.

    1 vote
  3. Hypnotoad
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    Music only distracts me

    Music only distracts me

    1 vote
  4. silva-rerum
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    Lately I’ve been listening to ambient soundscapes like the ones you can find at ambient-mixer.com, although YouTube is also a good source for hours-long soundscape tracks. It demands less...

    Lately I’ve been listening to ambient soundscapes like the ones you can find at ambient-mixer.com, although YouTube is also a good source for hours-long soundscape tracks. It demands less attention than podcasts and is less involved than music.

    1 vote
  5. Eylops
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    When I find time to read I really enjoy listening to music at the same time. That can be anything I listen to normally so not really suggestive, although the last few days I heard mainly Of...

    When I find time to read I really enjoy listening to music at the same time. That can be anything I listen to normally so not really suggestive, although the last few days I heard mainly Of Monsters and Men which I can recommend.

    Hearing the music after I am finished with a book reminds me of the mood I was in when reading and 'transports' me back into the world for a bit which I very much enjoy.

    1 vote
  6. Kom
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    I used to do this while taking the train to and from work, because apparently reading isn't enough of a sign that I don't want to talk to some random person about the lint they found in their...

    I used to do this while taking the train to and from work, because apparently reading isn't enough of a sign that I don't want to talk to some random person about the lint they found in their navel that one time.
    Crazy, I know!

    In answer to the question, I just listened to anything I was into, Blink 182, The Offspring, Disturbed, Korn. all that sort of stuff

    1 vote
  7. DonQuixote
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    I can't do music and books unless it's an intentionally shallow book, but then mostly random: opera, country, old rock, jazz, soundtracks, Frank Zappa, shakahuchi, techno, R&B, choral, as broad as...

    I can't do music and books unless it's an intentionally shallow book, but then mostly random: opera, country, old rock, jazz, soundtracks, Frank Zappa, shakahuchi, techno, R&B, choral, as broad as I can get it.

    1 vote