The best internet radio stations to listen to while you study or work
When it comes to knuckling down for an important study session, it’s vital to give yourself the best possible environment for a productive day’s work. The very same goes for that all-important deadline you may need to meet in the office.
For many of us, music is the key to this conundrum – setting a perfect soundtrack to calm nerves, focus the mind and increase creativity.
But not all types of music are made equal when it comes to boosting brain power. In fact, according to many studies, music listened to while studying should have no lyrics, as any speech can cause distraction when your brain is trying to process words. Music should also be played at a moderate volume, as anything too loud can begin to unsettle and hamper creativity.
Of course, when it comes to music, everyone’s tastes are different – so it’s important to find a genre you enjoy in order to keep the mind happy and focused. Thankfully, with thousands of internet radio stations to choose from, it’s easy to discover your perfect study soundtrack. To help you along the way, we’ve picked five of our favourite stations.
Listen to any of the stations below with a great choice of internet radio models from Pure. You can also tune into a productive study session with the new DiscovR smart speaker – which lets you save any internet station and Alexa command as a tactile Quick Corner preset or add any song you love directly to a Spotify playlist with the Music Discovery button
WQXR
There have been plenty of studies that reveal a link between classical music and improved brain performance. To get your cognitive gears cranking, check out New York City’s only classical music radio station. Broadcasting live from the Big Apple, the public station offers a carefully curated selection of legendary composers and contemporary sounds.
101 Smooth Jazz
As is the freeform nature of jazz music, the genre is well-known to both boost creativity and reduce stress. 101 Smooth Jazz, an internet-only station that plays 24/7, gives listeners a superb mix of laid-back, feel-good instrumental jazz tracks. So not only will you be powering through a day’s work, but you’ll also have a smile on your face as you do it.
Skylab
Dubbed as ‘music for the mind, body and soul’, Skylab is a UK-based mood station created to ease the pressure of everyday life. Like the musical equivalent of a comforting cup of herbal tea, de-stress and embrace your creativity with an eclectic playlist that covers chillout, lounge, downtempo, ambient and Balearic beats. If you’re based in the UK, the station is also available on DAB+ in Portsmouth, South East Hampshire and Norwich.
Radio Art – Spa
While this calming station is most suited for discovering a zen-like meditative state, the entrancing combination of ambient music and natural sounds is also a fantastic tool for optimising focus. It’s also particularly useful in busy environments, like a loud office, as sounds like rainfall perfectly mask distracting noises.
Aroto Instrumental Radio
For those that like their study soundtrack to be a bit more contemporary, this station gives listeners a non-stop selection of lo-fi hip-hop beats. Curated single-handedly by a music producer based in London, the chilled instrumentals on offer set the ideal tempo for a fruitful study session. Just don’t be surprised if you catch yourself bopping along to the funky beats.
