7 Songs and Albums You Didn’t Know You Needed on Your Study Playlist

The most dreaded week of the semester, Finals Week, is finally upon us. It’s a time that’s categorized by the general stressed vibe, an extreme amount of caffeine, bags under everyone’s eyes, teachers making drastic last minute changes, making Quizlet your homepage and an excessive amount of comfort food. Students need a little extra something that will allow them to de-stress and focus all at the same time.

Music is one of the greatest ways to distract yourself, as well as close you off into your own little world; both are necessary to maintain healthy study habits. Here are seven great songs/playlists to listen to as you study:

1. “Rhapsody In Blue” by George Gershwin

In this composer/songwriter’s No. 1 composition on Spotify, the jazzy/bluesy songs on the piano will calm anyone down. The fact that it’s a little over 14 minutes long is also a plus because I find it easier to study to sounds that overall are constant, because my mind can concentrate more on the schoolwork versus the change in tempo or style. 

2. “Treehome95” by Tyler, The Creator

As one of Tyler, The Creator’s jazziest songs, “Treehome95”’s tranquil, chill and constant beat soothes your soul, especially because it features popular neo-soul singer Erykah Badu. 

3. “Holocene” by Bon Iver​

Honestly, any song of this indie folk band is great to study to. If you are more like me and prefer studying to a slow and quiet music, I would recommend listening to the Grammy award-winning, self-titled album, Bon Iver, which features the song mentioned above. However, if you enjoy more electronic music, Bon Iver’s album 22, A Million has you covered with “33 ‘GOD’” and my personal favorite, “22 (OVER S∞∞N).”

4. “IDK” by Willow Smith

While the title of the song sums up exactly how I feel about any of the questions on my exam, this song by Willow Smith is empowering. It’s all about finding inner peace, accepting yourself and going with the flow concepts that we all need to remember as we embark on this stressful week.

5. “Color Song” by Maggie Rogers

This song is performed without almost any instruments and showcases Maggie Rogers’s unique voice. Rogers went viral after a video of Pharrell praising her work was released, which ultimately lead to a record deal for her. This song is about peace and nature with a great folksy twist, and will transport your mind to a beautiful place while being trapped in a stuffy library. 

6. Casey Neistat’s “Vlog Music” Playlist

This playlist can be found on Soundcloud and features all the music in Casey Neistat’s YouTube vlogs. The music in this playlist can be categorized as mellow electronic songs that contain little-to-no words. The playlist also contains a little over 400 songs; giving you ample amount of tracks to listen to.

7. Sound and Color by Alabama Shakes

From my personal all-time favorite band, this four-time winning album named Sound & Color is timeless and great to study to. Specifically, the title track, with retro-soul style, was a popular tune at my local Starbucks back home, and always allowed me to focus on my homework there.

I wish every collegiette a great exam week, filled with even better study music!

• exams
• finals
• FSU
• music
• study