There is no denying that music is one of the building blocks of software development. It is, on most occasions, what keeps us sane and holds us together on heavy-work days.

For those of us who like to mix our productivity with a playlist running in the background, music has a special place in our hearts. It is almost as if it brings out the best in us — our “inner creative”.

Although the pros of music are endless, some do it for the energy it brings them, others use the headsets to warm up their ears in cold seasons, and most use it to cancel out background noise and focus on their work — their noisy way to silence!

Whichever the reason, music is bliss.

Research showed that the quality of work was at its lowest without music, and suggests that playing your favorite track while working can improve mood and productivity. But music can also be distracting at times, you could waste valuable time finding the perfect songs which fits your mood, creating playlists, and even adjusting volumes, etc. After all, haven’t we been in a situation where we accidentally typed in the lyrics of the music we were listening to?  

For these reasons, it is suggested that listening to instrumental music works best when working. Because, you guessed it, there’s no lyrics to “accidentally” type, and the best you can do is nod your head!

Our recommendation: 

Lo-Fi or low-fidelity music, is a kind of instrumental music with a relaxed aesthetic touch. It fits very well into the developer work style, perfect for when pulling an all-nighter, and it doesn’t interrupt your focus. A triple threat!

Note that this is not always the case. Memorizing new information is best done with no music, and hence make sure you are working, and not learning a new language, etc.

Our Lo-Fi favorites: