I enjoyed reading the following article by a fellow Dev.to'er:
And I wanted to share with the community what I listen to.
I have different modes for when I'm coding, hacking (e.g. bug bounties), working (e.g. writing emails), or just doing mind-numbing chores.
The following is what I jam to for each of those modes.
Coding
No distractions. No lyrics. Soft tracks are ideal, but not too soft that I would fall asleep during late-night coding sessions.
Genres that meet these criteria: Chill Step, Deep House, Liquid Trap
Spotify playlists:
Hacking
Get pumped and get in the mood 😈 with upbeat jams. Fast, electronic beats with sick bass drops are ideal. Lyrics are fine too.
Genres that meet these criteria: Drum and Bass, EDM, Trap, Dubstep, Nightcore
Spotify playlists:
Working
Upbeat, poppy, but not-too-fast tracks hits the spot for this category.
Genres that meet this criteria: ePop
Spotify playlists:
Chores
Podcasts, actually. Word? 🤓
Wait. Hear me out.
Because of the inherent nature of chores, I don't need focus on the minutiae of the task. Instead, I take these opportunities to catch up on the many technical/coding/engineering podcasts.
Genres that meet these criteria: Podcasts
Spotify actually has podcasts you can listen to, but I will shamelessly plug my collection of awesome-podcasts 😅
Miscellaneous
Every once in a while, I get a craving for something entirely new and different, but they still tend to fall within broader categories.
Genres that meet these criteria: Synthpop, Remixes, Hip Hop, but with a twist 👩🎤👨🎤
Spotify playlists:
- Women Wa Bas! - Arab women in one playlist
- Arab Hip-Hop
- Arab X - Global cross-overs with/by Arab artists
- Arab Raggae
- Hacking - Synthpop
- Synthpop / Electronic / Dark Wave
- Pop / Rock Remix
- Remixes Of Popular Songs
- K-Pop Daebak
- K-Pop Rising
- JPop / Anime
I love getting exposed to new music, so what do you listen to?
Oldest comments (40)
It depends on what I'm doing. If I am deep in thought, or in the flow, or generally just getting a lot of work done I look up mixes of Trance / Progressive House / PsyTrance etc. Some of my favourite YouTube channels for this are:
If I'm researching, doing admin work or generally testing new concepts, I generally go to Deezer and listen to my Flow, which is a selection of favourited songs and songs the Deezer thinks are similar. I have found several new artists like this.
I listen to a wide variety of music although I tend to avoid most manufactured pop and dance tunes. A lot of the music I listen to will tend to be strongly guitar oriented in some way since I play guitar. Another preference is toward more raw and rootsy music, like country blues and punk, rather than slickly produced songs.
When I'm doing something that needs great focus I usually listen to a song I know on repeat. The genre is either rap or classic rock or anything else I just like. I let my discovery services help guide me. Recently it was songs off of Jay Z's Blueprint 2 over and over and over.
I guess that's my "hacking" mode. In code mode, I sort of listen to whatever, and it's usually a bit chiller.
I totally am with you on podcasts for chores. A lot of work doesn't actually need that much brain power and I definitely don't mind having people chatting it up in my ears while I work.
2 extremes, chill piano or metal/hardcore!
Rock, rock, and then, more rock.
And when I'm feeling lazy.
Radiohead that's my jam!
Industrial techno, Psytrance, Hardstyle, Hardcore, Frenchcore !!
If it's under 150BPM, it's not worth :D
Wow. Two new genres for me to try out: Industrial Techno and Frenchcore!
Thank you!
Hey ! I hope you like it ;)
Here some suggestions :
Frenchcore : Dr.Peacock / Sefa / Radium / The Sickest Squad / Angerfist (hardcore dj but he do some frenchcore too !)
Industrial techno : I just discovered this genre 2weeks ago so I don't know the big name in the scene yet ! But usually I just go to soundcloud, search for industrial techno playlist and lets roll :)
Here's a good site to find any set in any genre u want => lsdb.eu/ they got everything u need ;)
Hardstyle gets me in the zone and helps me concentrating ;)
I don't listen music when I work.
When I'm OoO, I listen to classic rock, pop, electro, hardtek & hardcore.
Do you find music distractive while working?
Yes, it is.
And I need to talk with my colleagues very often.
Ah, yes, this reminded me of when I worked in a completely open floor plan with 20+ other engineers (because collaboration!) and some music would be playing on external speakers. Some engineers put on headphones (without music necessarily - just to cancel noise), which had the reverse effect on collaboration. It was the most unhealthy environment I've been in.
I totally see your point!
I don't work in an open space (I couldn't). We're only 3 in my office, but we need to talk very often with my team mates, and not only about work :)
Melodic Techno, I recommend Boris Brechja :)
youtube.com/watch?v=buCD-_1UPn4
Wow. A lot of great resources to listen while doing the great work.
Lately, I've discovered that in order to give a better performance while writing code or thinking for problem solutions music is really distracting so I rather not listening during that time. But I will definitely listen to a lot of this playlist later.
Pop Rap (Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Tyler the Creator, A$AP Rocky), or R&B (GoldLink, Rejjie Snow, Smino), whichever I feel like.
Oh, and BROCKHAMPTON. Best band.
Melodic death metal anyone? Black metal?
It really depends. I am very syncretistic in my taste. My spectrum ranges from Chillout to Dubstep, from Pop to Rock and (Death-) Metal. But I too enjoy good Old School like NWA.
If somebody hacks my Spotify account he may wonder if I am a whole family instead of a single person 😂
I feel you. I’m the same way. In my Spotify account, I’ve got pop folder, rock folder, hacker folder, coding folder, acoustic/instrumental folder, yoga folder ...etc
I could keep going, but I’ll stop embarrassing myself now. 😂
I'm listening to a really wide range of music too 😄From country to blackest black metal. Depends on the mood I guess.
Yes! Sometimes it has to be Cradle of Filth or Dimmu Borgir :D
CoF!!!!! That brings back memories...
Yes! Black Metal is my jam when coding, especially Funeral Mist, Behemoth, Marduk, and Spectral Wound!
Prog metal. Just posted about the new Haken FINALLY dropping.
Lo-fi hip hop, for me the best to focus on my work without distractions!
Basically Tech-House, UK Garage, Shallow/Getto/Bass House, and little bit Techno, Acid 303, 808 909, Jungle Terror, Tribal & Percussions, Futuristic.
Not That Boring List:
youtu.be/TQoDUuvu3_c
youtu.be/h27sFzkp6oQ
youtu.be/amlef8dvEHA
youtu.be/5fjV0Qh6oTE
youtu.be/JGJoGtt3n5Y
Something Else
youtu.be/hR2DhxM9eRY