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Hello fellow readers! I'm sure I'm not the only who likes to listen to some sort of music while reading a book. I always wonder though what kind of music people like to gravitate towards to while they read. I personally only listen to soundtracks or epic instrumental music (I am always on a hunt for new ones). anything lyrical however, is a big no-no for me. I pick one soundtrack for every new book/series and listen to it on repeat. Currently every book of mine that I have read has it's own ST. I know it sounds retarded but I love how the music becomes one with the book and creates a deeper and better atmosphere.

What kind of music do you guys like and how do you like to listen to it?

I have a 'current likes' Spotify list that I listen to whenever I'm reading. It almost always has Mumford in it, but other than that it's all over the place. :)

only classical. if theres vocals itll destract me.

Tom wrote: "I have a 'current likes' Spotify list that I listen to whenever I'm reading. It almost always has Mumford in it, but other than that it's all over the place. :)"

I love Spotify, I'm listening to a playlist while I'm typing this lol. Another good platform for playlists is 8tracks but sadly it doesn't work for us in the UK anymore.

I normally listen to a lot of instrumental songs when I read.For example I like to listen to Mozart or Beethoven and sometimes I'll even put on some Lindsey Stirling. I feel like it takes the book to a whole new level when I read while listening to some instrumental music. The one thing I can not listen to when reading is lyrical music because I tend to get distracted and end up not paying attention to what I am reading. I feel like I enjoy the book more with a piece of instrumental music instead of reading the book on its own. It just makes the book feel more special to me when I listen to instrumental music with it.

Rabia wrote: "I normally listen to a lot of instrumental songs when I read.For example I like to listen to Mozart or Beethoven and sometimes I'll even put on some Lindsey Stirling. I feel like it takes the book ..."

Exactly! same with me here, but I'm more into stuff like Audiomachine, Brand X Music etc. I totally understand how it takes the book to another level!

I tend towards instrumental music, too, because I find that I get distracted by lyrics which I inadvertently start to listen to. I prefer classical music, swing, or sometimes Irish Folk.
What also works for Mr, interestingly, is having radio news or the tv burbling away in the background...

I don't always listen to music while I read but if I do it's what I typically listen to during any general day (ie country, pop, indie and whatever other random songs I get hooked on). I'm part of a big, loud family so I'm used to background noise so lyrical music doesn't really distract me. That is to say it's not like it never happens especially if it's a song I really enjoy.

i use tabletopaudio.com and make a playlist that fits whatever book i'm reading!! it's super useful just as background noise too

It really depends on my mood!
Classical or some other instrumental stuff (movie scores, easy listening, etc) is the most common.
But really it can be any kind of music.

I usually listen to film or tv series scores! I find it hard to concentrate on a book while listening to music that has vocals /lyrics, but "my" scores always put me in the right mood!

i listen to whatever i feel like at the time

I don't get distracted by music when I read, but I tend to tune it out. I do like to listen to music all the time, so it's fine with me.

It varies greatly, but whatever I'm listening to tends to reflect my mood (could be ANYTHING, instrumental, lyrical, pop, rock, heavy metal, rap/hiphop... literally anything) and the mood often corresponds to the type of books I'm reading too. I love it because listening to those albums then gives me a really strong vibe of the book I read.

My favourite pairing has to have been when I was listening to Coldplay's Ghost Stories album whilst re-reading the His Dark Materials series - that album and book go together SO well! Perfect vibes.

Two steps from hell, audiomachine, antti martikainen, james paget, john dreamer brunuhville those all are my favorite music composers

I hardly ever listen to music while I'm reading. When I do it's on long car trips because I need to hear my own music rather than what my parents are listening to. I think any song by Sleeping with Sirens does it for me. I connect to their lyrics and music. I actually write my novels while listening to them.

Mostly classical and OST instruments, my favorite is studio ghibli's OST instruments, and sometimes i listen to ballad music too

i'll usually listen to whatever i'm listening to anyway, and it's always lyrical bc i just can't do music that doesn't have lyrics. although also half the time i'm reading with the tv on as well so the background noise is obviously not an issue lol

Whatever song kind of goes along with my current read!!!

I dont think that it counts as mousic, but I love listening to white noise. I will have some video from youtube with the sound of rain, or the sound of wood burning in fireplace...

I like listening to movie soundtracks because I don't like my music to have words and the music also helps bring out the mood of the story

@Bailey, yes, same, I can relate! It somehow helps me to lose myself in the story :)

I usually listen to movie instrumentals while reading. It makes epic scenes more amazing when listening to epic music. As sad scenes more emotional when listening to slow instrumentals.

As for songs with lyrics, I have to listen to songs I don’t know the lyrics of so I don’t feel tempted to sing along.

Sometimes I can listen to music, but most of the time music is just distracting.

@Ellie you should really try movie soundtracks. They almost never have words but they really help you get lost in the story

Thanks for the advice! I found a really good soundtrack with literally no words in it whatsoever! I literally never thought about movie soundtracks btw.

Since I listen to my books, music is quite distracting. It doesn’t matter if there’s words or not.

sometimes i would put the sound of pouring rain or a river,

but some books don't require music, some books makes you feel and hear as if you are in the same universe as the character's

Mahra wrote: "sometimes i would put the sound of pouring rain or a river,

that sounds great, I have to try that aswell!

I like listening to music, but I can't stand it when I'm reading.

I'm mostly listening to Zelda music while reading. There are no lyrics so it doesn't distract me

Lyrics in music when I'm reading also trips me up, but I like listening to instrumentals to set the mood for some books if I have access to it. I love listening to Daniel Jang's violin covers (Spotify) and Thomas Bergersen's music is also great for dramatic scenes in books :)

I listen to nature sounds via youtube while I read. Generally a thunderstorm on the ocean is what i've been listening to lately. Even instrumentals can be distracting for me, and lyrics are a big no for me.

Stevie Mccrorie bc I'm currently obsessed !

I usually listen to jazz when I read.

I listen to an hour long loop of the Walt Disney World entrance music because it's calming and it helps me to focus

Absolutely not!

Always have to have something going on in the background while I’m reading... Spotify and soundtrack music (instrumental) are my go to

I often experience it that the music I'm listening to somehow matches the feeling/vibe of the book (for example dramatic music during an action scene), but not intentionally, it just happens! Has any of you experienced the same? :D

I have Anni

I dont really have spesific music. Just good music really.

@Ellie that's awesome, glad I'm not the only one!

I used to listen to music or have the TV on in the background and still be able to read, but I can't do it any more. Now I want absolute silence. But I do love the idea of a soundtrack to go with a book, and I love to read about the music authors listen to as they write. Some of them will publish the soundtrack they made to play while they were writing. (Maggie Stiefvater is one, and Stephanie Meyer, and Craig Johnson. Those are the ones I can remember.)

I usually listen to nature soundtracks, but if I don't have access to anything, I just listen to whatever the background noise is.

For now ive been listening lauv's songs

I like Lauv! I usually listen to musical soundtracks or music box covers of stuff.

Jazz or classical will do ...

A definite no, not even quiet sounds because I need absolute silence to concentrate, but I can stand rain and storms :)

I can read without but with music it can make the experience even better. Not just any music either. It has to fit the mood/feeling of the book. I like to look up a lot of "fantasy reading" lists on spotify

I absolutely cannot read while playing music. I will sing along to the music and the reading is out the window.