What focus/coding music are you listening to these days?

Generally (and for the last 20 years or so), the excellent SomaFM[1]. Mostly DefCon and Groove Salad with some Synphaera[2], AAC streams all saved in a playlist in Strawberry, has been my regular goto.

Otherwise, I've been on a Synthwave/chillwave kick, since it reminds me of my younger years (80's/90's... rose-tinted glasses and all that). The Midnight; Brian Eno; Tycho; Tangerine Dream; etc... or whatever comes up on Tidal and Spotify.

My favorite though is Spotify's "Synthwave from Space" playlist[3] from aofd3. Otherwise, hard rock/metal, classical, ambient/"concentration" style playlists, etc... anything really, depending on what I'm doing. Sometimes just a local terrestrial radio station is good enough.

[1]https://somafm.com/

[2]https://somafm.com/defcon/ https://somafm.com/groovesalad/ https://somafm.com/synphaera/

[3]https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4sgUux9hmykyWYmVoe4W6p?si=...

Mostly classical music. Nothing in particular, I'll usually look up spotify-curated playlists like "Baroque classics" or "French Composers" etc.

Music with singing is too distracting when I'm working, and so is music that I'm overly attached to or get excited by - for instance jazz.

Spotify has a ton of ambient playlists too. I feel like ambient tracks strike a good balance for me when working.

On my side, I listen to Unreal Tournament OST, Hitman OST by Jesper Kyd and a playlist of tracker music from the 90s on Youtube. Occasionally, I also listen to Kraftwerk "Computerlove" album and Rage Incoming OST.

Movie Soundtracks! You can start with all the ones nominated for awards and figure out what you like from there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BAFTA_Award_for_Best_Original_...

I tend to like TV soundtracks for suspenseful shows. Action movies/shows are too bombastic generally.

In general my rule is "stuff I've listened to hundreds of times over the decades". If music is new to me I find myself paying too much attention to it. The best example of this is Yes's Tales From Topographic Oceans, I've listened to it for 50 years.

For some reason the exception to this is Club Dubstep on di.fm.

Loads of Max Cooper [1] and other misc from Mesh [2]. Always new bits of interest from every listen. Also very much looking forward to (finally) experiencing a live show with upcoming AU gigs.

[1]: https://maxcooper.net/

[2]: https://www.meshmeshmesh.net/

Also:

https://music.apple.com/us/album/ti%C3%ABsto-at-edc-las-vega...

Dawn of Midi’s Dysnomia

https://dawnofmidi.bandcamp.com/album/dysnomia

Laurie Spiegel’s The Expanding Universe

https://lauriespiegel.bandcamp.com/album/the-expanding-unive...

Vilayat Khan - Rarely Heard Ragas.

Buddha's Flute - Osho Dream. Go for the Lamaste channel one, the best, IMO. I also use it to help me sleep.

Chillwave like this [0] or the original Ghost in the Shell soundtrack.

Edit: Also great to block out the environment is this [1], I donated 50€ years ago and still get to listen to everything.

[0] https://hellometeor.bandcamp.com/ [1] https://mynoise.net/

I make my own: https://vibrafox.bandcamp.com/

When I’m developing usually I listen 24h news channels in background, to keep myself informed about the world.

Otherwise I listen my jazz bebop playlist: https://music.apple.com/it/playlist/jazz/pl.u-qxpMIJYRBl?l=e...

Some of you have great recommendations! Unfortunately mine are pretty boring - usually either Music Made for Airports or some Lofi.

I like the Phonk genre, here is the great playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4yuqaqob6d9Wb3NTB0hXyw?si=...

Only things I can trigger on Alexa. I can’t have music playing on my computer when I’m doing things on the computer. Just can’t.

So usually classical playlists or instrumental jazz or study beats. I don’t hunt for new things honestly.

Weightless, by Marconi Union

Years ago I heard on a podcast that this albums was proven in a study to increase function. So either that or a mighty good placebo for me.

I used to listen to Joe Satriani albums, Crystal Planet was getting me into the mood, also Super Collossal was OK. Other albums are OK too, he almost never repeats himself.

I also liked Starblast ost, it had good tempo.

I have listened to the Hearts of Space radio show for 20+ years: https://v4.hos.com/home

This time of year I'm almost always listening to classical music as it's Proms season.

Hardtechno, Schranz and German Hardtekk. Always makes me feel like I'm a superhuman and can power through the Pull Requests

Mainly some kind of instrumental Rock/Metal, like Animals as Leads or Plini. I have a huge playlist with a bunch of artists that repeats after two full work days.

Jazz without lyrics, many flavors

Tomorrowland

Video game lofi

Tritonia