The old masters. I tried not to include most opera composers, since singing/lyrics interfere with concentration. Most of these playlists are at least an hour long:
Baroque (prancing through the flowers with royalty):
Classical (sipping tea with royalty while listening to their woes and gossip):
Romantic (watching a heartfelt, teary-eyed scene in a soap opera):
Impressionistic (stargazing in an open field at midnight):
Late Romantic/Early Modern (dramatically confessing your love in the pouring rain):
Modern (these get sub-categories because they’re so different):
We’re off on an epic adventure!
Dramatic theme for every super villain ever
Curious and off-putting, but hypnotic
Jazz hands and big city lights
Long, random playlists: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)
The Spirit of Classical Music
There’s also playlists on Spotify (just go to Browse > Genres & Moods > Classical).
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Sometimes the old masters are too stuffy. I get it. Have some more long playlists from a few of my favorite contemporary artists:
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Maybe you don’t like classical at all. That’s fine, too. Here’s some wub-wub to get your mind on track:
Aggressive & Intense (dubstep, deathstep, metalstep, etc)
Long, random playlists: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)
Chill & Melodic (chillstep, deep house, melodic dubstep)
Long, random playlists: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)
Upbeat & Dancy (electro house, club music, more chillstep)
Long, random playlists: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)
Youtube Channels:
There are countless other Youtube channels and mixes. You can also find some playlists on Spotify (Browse > Genres & Moods > Electronic).
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INSTRUMENTAL COVERS OF POPULAR SONGS
Here are a few channels to check out if you’re starting from nowhere:
Miri Lee 이미리 Pianistmiri - pop, r&b, rap, some classical, rock, and k-pop
David Sides - pop, r&b, rap, some rock
oysterlovers - pop, r&b, rap, some classical and rock
The Theorist - pop, r&b, and rap
TheUnsungHeroine - pop & electronic/dubstep
YourPianoCover - mostly pop, a few rap
Steve Siu Piano - pop, country, classical, some rock and rap
Yoonha85TV - pop, rap, r&b, some k-pop
Brooklyn Duo (piano & cello) - pop
ThePianoGuys (piano & cello) - pop, r&b, classical, rock
Hour-long, yearly pop playlists by oysterlovers: 2013, 2014
Yearly pop medleys by AlexTanMusic: 2012, 2013, 2014
The Mad Violinist & SCO - pop, r&b, rap, dubstep
Lindsey Stirling - pop, r&b, rap, soundtracks, classical
Josh Vietti - pop, r&b, rap, rock, classical
JuNCurryAhn - pop, k-pop, classical, soundtracks
David Wong - pop, r&b, rock, rap
Bryson Andres - pop, r&b, rock, electronic
JasonYangViolin - pop, rock, rap, soundtracks
Of course, there are countless people who don’t have huge channels and maybe only a cover or two. The search bar is your friend. And don’t forget to make a playlist!
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Think about it, there are tons of people whose only job is to get the atmosphere of a game right by carefully composing the right music. And there are plenty of games with beautiful music. I love these playlists:
Remember Me (brilliant mix of electronic and classical)
Papo & Yo (relaxing and tropical)
Rayman Origins (springy, lighthearted, and amazing)
Rayman Legends (energetic, goofy, and wonderful)
Dark Cloud 2/Dark Chronicle (beautiful, bouncy, heart-racing)
To The Moon (dreamy and moving)
Kingdom Hearts (gorgeous, epic, breathtaking)
Mirror’s Edge (soothing and mechanical)
Hamtaro: Ham-Hams Unite (adorable 8-bit)
Alice: Madness Returns (odd, creepy, and carnival-esque)
Journey (peaceful and atmospheric)
Child of Light (melancholic and powerful)
Trine (epic and mystical)
The Vanishing of Ethan Carter (mysterious and haunting)
Valiant Hearts (pretty and heartbreaking)
Walking Dead Season 1 (depressing and beautiful)
Braid (relaxing, Celtic vibes)
Botanicula (breathy, vibrant, playful)
Machinarium (earthy, futuristic, energetic)
Long, random playlists: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)
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Just like video games, movies rely heavily on music to set the mood for the audience. Here are some of my favorite playlists:
Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind
Kiki’s Delivery Service (x)
random playlists: (1) (2) (3)
Classic Disney piano covers (1) (2)
The Fellowship of the Ring
How to Train Your Dragon 2
The Tale of Princess Kaguya
Philosopher’s/Sorcerer’s Stone
You can also view a full list of Grammy Award-winning soundtracks here
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You’ll look like weeaboo trash, but at least you’ll be concentrating. You might need to skip a few tracks here and there if they have lyrics (that messes up my concentration, at least). That said, here’s some recommended playlists:
Elfen Lied (flowy and pretty)
Tokyo Ghoul √A (powerful, electronic, heart-wrenching)
Samurai Champloo (funky, hip-hop, soothing, amazing)
Hellsing Ultimate (epic, funky, aggressive, but also sad and moving)
Death Note (emotional, edgy, rock n’ roll)
Attack on Titan (sometimes emotional & harrowing, sometimes epic & gritty)
Ghost in the Shell (hollow, lonely, mysterious)
Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (gritty, funky, upbeat)
Blue Gender (funky, badass, intense)
Mnemosyne (jazzy, upbeat)
Cowboy Bebop (sometimes smooth jazz, sometimes wild & funky)
Neon Genesis Evangelion (more smooth jazz)
Fishugi Yuugi (emotional, romantic)
Sailor Moon (happy & upbeat)
Cardcaptor Sakura (lighthearted, bubbly)
Inuyasha (epic, emotional, inspiring)
Long, random playlists: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)
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Like I said, this isn’t a complete list but hopefully a good jumping-off point. Feel free to add to areas with your own suggestions. Have fun listening and go be productive!
romaincrisis
tangentwithtanner
jbbartram-illu
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