Music to Write An Essay To
the perfect writing music – get an “a” with andrew
featuring artists like:
Fiona Joy Hawkins, Cesium Swimsuit, ODESZA, Flow, DJ Food, music2work2, Cliff Martinez, Moby, Aphex Twin
YouTube was the first place where essay writing music really kicked off. Long form instrumental tracks created the perfect balance of blocking external noise without distracting cognitive centers with words or lyrics. Often falling into the “New Age” category, it wasn’t the sexiest of genres and would never appear on radio but there was a huge and hungry audience.
Many of the tracks on this playlist have millions of streams and views and are very much people’s go to writing music, others are brand new compositions but are great at setting the optimal environment for getting the words out.
Here’s the thing though – there’s no way that every track on this list is going to work for you – it’s likely that you’ll experience some tracks as jarring or too disruptive or even too boring and soporific. The point of this playlist is less about stringing tracks together in a sequence and more about finding tracks that you can put on repeat and get into a state of creative flow – it’s why we generally prefer longer form submissions.
While we cover pretty much all genres and intensities, typically the tracks are ambient in nature, mid tempo and are instrumental. There are some tracks with the odd word or two but there is no lyrical story telling to distract the writer when they’re trying to get their own words out.
B – Torri in Sabina Ambient Remix – Non-Functional Harmony
18 June 2020
You know those days where for some god unknown reason you wake up and you just know it’s all going to be shit. And sure – we manifest what we project and all that good mental wellbeing stuff but sometimes – no matter how well I rig my defences and man the battlements with productivity tips and inspirational emails – I fail – and so despair climbs over the parapet like an assassin in a medieval movie and quietly slips its blade into my hope…
B 612 – Nhyx
11 June 2020
I don’t know about you but I’m currently looking for energy – for input, for impetus, for encouragement to start – to begin – to beat inertia – know what I mean?
I’m not looking for complex – not looking for something to take me on a journey – I’m looking for something to help me start my own…
Post London – Nick Rezo
15 May 2020
There’s all kinds of music to write to out there – hell, I’m pretty sure we feature all of them on this list – but there are certain styles that have a direct path to the part of my brain that will get me to start writing. Nick Rezo’s Post London is one of them.
The Healer – Noah Baerman with Ron Carter and Ben Riley
31 March 2020
I’m writing this at the end of March – typically the time when students are turning their minds to final exams and beginning to get into a writing groove. I know this because April and May are peak streaming months for instrumental music.
You’d think that with the Covid 19 nightmare things would be a little different this year – but apparently no – students may not be going into school, but assignments are still in place and exams are looming.
Chasing Neon – Hats Off Gentlemen Its Adequate
12 March 2020
Habits are weird aren’t they – the ones that are good for you are hard to establish and easy to break while the ones that are bad for you – well – yes – hello smack habit!…
Mint Green – Andrew Shapiro
19 February 2020
You know – sometimes – I’m guessing more times than we care to admit – you just have to do the fucking work.
You have to continue showing up – moving the muscles – doing whatever manifestation it is you do – but doing it – even when it brings you no joy.
And that’s a weird ass thing isn’t it?!
Tolling of the Fire Bell – Fiona Joy Hawkins, Jill Haley, Eugene Friesen
31 January 2020
I just wrote something i’m kinda proud of. Not that I’m a big fan of pride – it being one of the seven deadly sins or so – but – i really had to work at this one – it took me a long time to work out what i wanted to say and – in the process of doing that – it changed me and will change my behavior in the future…
Body Without Wings – Nomazii
17 December 2019
Sadness is the most underrated emotion and often the most unwanted. The expression “Don’t be Sad” is bandied around like a punctured prophylactic when instead we could be listening and demonstrating true empathy…
Star Trails – Antartic Wastelands, Somniacs
10 December 2019
I’m all about the wonder of being alive at the moment.
I think this is a good thing – particularly having come off a period where being alive seemed to be a rather depressing experience.
But like any good pendulum – I’m swinging back the other way and damn is it good to be on the planet!…
Walking in the Air – Fiona Joy (Hawkins)
4 December 2019
While stores and restaurants have been busy hanging decorations the moment the Halloween costumes were stashed away, there’s always been a certain restraint when it comes to radio and how they handle Christmas. Well – I say restraint in that they generally don’t start “Christmas Music” until December 1st – thank God – but after that, restraint goes right out the window as it’s a constant onslaught of Bieber to Band Aid, Bing to Bublé – and that’s just one letter of the alphabet!..
King of the New World (432hz) – Last Bee on Earth
19 November 2019
What are you guilty of?
I’m guilty of getting this playlist wrong.
To be clear – while every artist and track are here on their own merits – this mea culpa has nothing to do with their process – but with mine…
By the Light of Dawn – Jon Meyer
11 November 2019
There’s nothing like falling into a creative hole – it doesn’t matter what you’re doing – whether you’re writing a novel, a symphony or leading a community – it’s never the falling in that’s the hard part – it’s the climbing out that scares the shit out of you – what if you never make it…?
The first visual memory I have is that of the white upright piano in Singapore, Hell and the Dark Forces lived at the bottom, Heaven and the Angels at the top, they would play battles through my fingers and I was hooked.
As a psychology graduate I studied how sound affects human performance.
As a musician I compose instrumental music that stimulates your brain but doesn't mess with your language centers, leaving you free to be creative and brilliant without distraction.
As a curator I research how music can improve your life and create flow - I can tell you what music to listen to when studying for a test and why listening to sad music can make you feel better.
As a creator / contributor at musicto I’m part of a global creator community that collaborates through music. You can learn more about our community here.