I’m sure that if I mentioned a specific song right now, it would transport you back to a distinct moment in your life. For instance, any Jack Johnson song instantly reminds me of family day trips to the grocery store during the good old days of the 2010s. While there are many songs that have defined my college years, like “Count Me Out” by Kendrick Lamar and “Igor’s Theme” by Tyler, the Creator, they’re not exactly suitable for studying. I mean, if you can manage to crank up these tracks while doing homework, kudos to you, but I just can’t. So, the question arises: What’s the ideal music to accompany your study sessions? It must be instrumental, something you can play without getting lost in the lyrics and mellow enough not to be a distraction. I’m all for high-energy tunes, but they don’t quite work when I’m writing an essay or tackling Differential Equations. So, what’s left to choose from?

One option is music with loads of ambiance, soft notes and sometimes a hint of a soothing, almost spooky vibe. You guessed it, I’m talking about the Minecraft soundtrack. I realize this might peg me as an interesting character, opting for a video game soundtrack, but trust me, give it a listen the next time you’re hitting the books. I typically turn to two albums, Volume Alpha and Volume Beta, which offer over three hours of music. They’re perfect to put on in the background and forget about. The vibes of this soundtrack are unparalleled–they immediately focus your attention and keep you on track. No aggressive tracks that suddenly get loud and disruptive; it’s always there in the background with the most peaceful sounds. The abundance of piano notes and soft strings has a calming effect on me. Listening to these songs, I can’t stay mad, anxious or anything other than calm.

Volume Alpha is less dynamically interesting, making it better for staying focused, but Volume Beta is more grandiose and dynamic (think “Alpha” and “Aria Math”), which makes it my favorite of the two. If you’ve played the game and have experienced these songs coming on, you’ll understand exactly what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, give it a try the next time you need to focus–you won’t regret it.

While the Minecraft soundtrack is always a great choice, I’ve also discovered another artist who’s excellent for studying. This recommendation is for those who find the previous option a bit too slow or too soothing, to the point where it might lull you to sleep. You’ve probably heard songs by this group without realizing it. I’m talking about Home. If you Google their music genre, it’s listed as “Synthwave / Chillwave,” which should tell you all you need to know. They are almost entirely instrumental, except for a few select songs. When you need background music while typing away at an essay or delving into your memory to recall that elusive Thermodynamics equation that was mentioned to you only once, Home’s music is ideal. It keeps you awake and is captivating enough to maintain your focus yet not so engaging that you start thinking more about the music than your work. If you’d like some examples before diving in, I recommend “We’re Finally Landing,” “Tides” and “Half Moon.”

Of course, there are numerous other music genres to choose from when studying. I’ve known people who prefer classic jazz, and I’ve been known to turn up Kendrick Lamar or Glass Animals while furiously typing away at my computer. (As a side note, I recently discovered Glass Animals based on a recommendation, and they have some exceptional songs.) However, whenever I need to sit down and truly focus, I consistently return to the Minecraft soundtrack and Home. I can’t recommend these enough, and I plan to listen to them for all my future study sessions. If you give them a chance, you’ll likely find that they’re the ultimate study music, just as I have.