Rock

Rock is a really interesting genre of music, having a great array of sub types. The only problem with this genre, is that most of these songs are really bad for concentration, either for having a great amount of lyrics, or being too loud and interfering with performance. While this is true in most cases, there are some exceptions.

Alternative rock, (specifically songs that tend to be slower, like 1979 from Smashing Pumpkins) and instrumental rock are the best rock can offer when trying not to get distracted while studying. Even though they are exceptions, you could use other genres when studying.

I talked about the lower points it has, but it isn't all bad. Thanks to the instrumentalism found commonly in rock songs, along with the fact that they maintain a steady rhythm which helps with staying in focus for longer. This helps in a different way from the unpredictable tempo of jazz, since a steady rhythm makes rock songs more like a background sound, which helps cancel out outside noise.

1. Crazy Train (Ozzy Osbourne, 1980) Hard rock/ heavy metal. Even though it may sound like it's too heavy, hearing it with a moderate amount of volume may help considerably. But even after that, it is still a clear example of what you should avoid.

2. Black Hole Sun (Soundgarden, 1994) Alternative rock/ grunge. It is a lot slower than the last one, and has really good lyrics that don't interfere too much with performance

3. Manhattan (Eric Johnson, 1980) - Instrumental rock. This song's main focus is the guitar, and I would rate it better for studying since it is only instrumental, and lacks lyrics. Another good point it has is that it is slower than the last two.

4. 1979 (Smashing Pumpkins, 1995) - Alternative Rock. Thanks to the focus on instrumental, and the low focus on lyrics even though they are present, makes the brain get less overstimulated, since when we are doing homework, specially writing and reading, our brain activates the language systems, and a high amount of lyrics could make you focus more on the song rather than studying.

5. Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Pink Floyd, 1975) Classic rock. This song focuses mostly in instruments, and has a low amount of lyrics. Both of these together with its long, slow sections, and its tendency of feeling like background music help with concentration, which works like a barrier for outside, distracting noise.

6. O "Fly on" (Coldplay, 2014) Soft rock. this one focuses more on instrumental, as well as an atmospheric vibe, which is really good for studying, as it helps in relaxing and helping with concentration.

7. Wish you were here (Pink Floyd, 1975) Classic rock. Another song from the same album as the last one from Pink floyd, but it focuses mainly in instrumental and helps with concentration as much as Shine on you.

8. Angie (Rolling Stones, 1973) Soft rock. This one focuses more on lyrics, so it is not that good, but thanks to its focus on piano and acoustic guitar, it is not bad.

9. The Chain (Fleetwood Mac, 1977) Classic rock, this one focuses in lyrics, but it has a steady rhythm, so it is not very good for long study sessions, but for short breaks in between.

10. 505 (Arctic Monkeys, 2007) Alternative rock, 505 is a good song for studying, but only the first parts, since by the end the song gets louder and is not that good for concentration.

Overall, rock is not the best genre for long study session, as its main focus in lyrics may interfere with the brain's language processing areas, which may cause you to focus more in what is being said than what you are reading or writing. Instead, it is really good for short sessions or breaks in between, since this genre could be good at giving you a boost of energy, which in the long run is the most important factor.