Is it Good to Listen to Music while Studying?

Is listening to music while you study actually a good idea? Maybe you can’t write that essay without your heavy techno. Finding the right kind of music to listen to whilst studying is key - we will run through all this as we break down whether the music approach is the way to go.

Table of Content:

• The Pros
• The Cons
• What kind of music works best?
• FAQs

The Pros

1. Better Mood

You may be familiar with the Mozart effect – the philosophy that listening to Mozart will make you ‘smarter’. The study found that when students listened to classical music such as Mozart, their exam results significantly improved.

Researchers put this down to the music’s ability to stimulate the problem-solving parts of our brain necessary for answering maths-style questions. While the conclusions sure are favourable, further research has unfortunately debunked the ‘Mozart effect’, rendering it merely a myth.

So, how can we explain the correlation between better scores and listening to music while studying? Well, the fact is, music just puts us in a better mood. And, if we are in a better mood while studying, we are more motivated and productive, hence the better test results.

There have been several studies done to back this up. For example, this research in the 1990s revealed the ‘Blur Effect’. Students who listened to the popular band, Blur, scored better on tests than those who did not. This time, the effect was actually greater than the Mozart effect (kids enjoyed listening to pop music a whole lot more than classical music).

2. Relieve some Stress

Research done in 2021 showed that ICU patients felt less pain and anxiety after listening to music for 30 minutes.

Applying this to the study context, listening to music has the benefit of relieving the stress and anxiety that may be associated with studying challenging or overwhelming concepts.

3. Increases Motivation

This one goes hand-in-hand with the ability for music to put us in a better mood.

If you’ve ever found yourself in a position where studying is the last thing you feel like doing (despite your assignment being due in less than 24 hours… we’ve all been there), you might set yourself a little reward to help get you through it. Maybe it's an episode of your favourite show or your snack of choice. In the same way, this 2019 research shows that music can trigger the same reward centres in your brain as these other enjoyments. Listening to your favourite music can offer the motivation required to put pen to paper or absorb new information.

The Cons

But listening to music while studying may not be for everyone so let's consider the drawbacks...

1. Reducing your working memory

Working memory is part of your short-term memory that stores a small amount of information and is used to execute cognitive tasks. This might include remembering items on a list or recalling the specific steps needed to solve a chemistry equation.

Research suggests that listening to music while studying may limit your working memory, meaning your brain cannot handle and process as much information at a given time. If you already feel overwhelmed when trying to recall different pieces of information at once, listening to music could throw you off even further.

2. Reducing your reading comprehension

Similarly, studies have demonstrated that listening to music can also reduce our reading comprehension, especially when lyrics are involved. So, when you are researching that history assignment it might be better to try out some mellow classical music to save you from having to re-read that article another time.

3. Distracts you

For many, music is a source of distraction... a momentary escape from reality! So if this is the case for you, listening to music may not be the best bet when you need to get that assignment done or finish off that overdue maths homework.

Often, the level of distraction will depend on the type of music that you are listening to – if the music is too loud it might interrupt your thoughts. Similarly, if you’re anything like me, music with lyrics can be super distracting when you just can’t quite fight the urge to sing along (even if it’s just in your head).

What kind of music works best?

This one is really up to you, but evidence shows that classical or relaxing music that acts as white noise is best to help mitigate the cons. For some, upbeat music might help boost motivation to study. However, you should try avoiding music with lyrics where you find yourself getting distracted; perhaps look for instrumental versions of your favourite songs instead!

Conclusion

So while listening to music while you study won’t necessarily make you smarter, it can definitely help to improve your mood and get you through those tougher study sessions.

Overall, studying in year 12 doesn't have to be a struggle, book a free consultation with a 99+ ATAR tutor to see how you can take your studies to the next level. For more resources, check out these KIS Academics articles:

Study tips, tricks and hacks

At times, studying can be an incredibly tedious process. You might feel like you’ve spent hours on one tiny concept and you still can’t wrap your head around it! We are here to share our top tips on how to study effectively, ensuring you stay focused and maximise grind time when it counts.

KIS Academics BlogDylan Kay

How to get a 99+ ATAR - A Medical Student’s Study Routine

As year 12 rolls around, one of the most commonly asked questions by students is: “How should I study to get an ATAR above 99?”. If this is something that has crossed your mind, this is the right article for you.

KIS Academics BlogManoj Arachige

NAPLAN: 2025 Data Reveal Australian Students are struggling with Writing | KIS Academics

Australian students are performing poorly in writing, with many Year 9 students at primary-school levels. Discover why this is happening and how tutoring can help your child improve.

KIS Academics BlogManoj Arachige

FAQs

Find out what other students and parents have to say about their expert KIS Academics tutor:

What Our Students & Parents Say

600+ Five-Star reviews across all our tutoring programs — hear why below !👇