Since the invention of the phonograph, people have used music as background noise to accompany tasks; cooking, cleaning, laundry, the list goes on. That being said, music can also be a suitable accompaniment to reading, too.

For some people, at least. 

Some of us out there need total silence to read, but there are some who like to soundtrack our reading sessions. Are you the type to marry music and reading? Let's have a look at some of the music that might help you focus and immerse yourself as you read.



Soundtrack Music

Soundtrack music can be great for reading because its tonality and overall sounds is largely based on visuals and themes. If you are reading a fantasy novel, for instance, then a soundtrack to a fantasy movie or video game may not be too far from touch. We'd especially recommend taking the soundtrack from a movie, and reading the book its based on! Our recommendation is to sit down with The Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and play Howard Shore's masterful film score at the same time! Give it a try.


Ambient Music

If you've ever put on "studying music", ambient music is not too far from that. Ambient music tends to be spacey, calm, and without melody, or at the very least, including sparse melodies. It's easy to corner ambient music as being "music that is designed to sleep to" but it can be very deeply introspective, and can make the perfect accompaniment to many daily tasks including reading. Some albums we might recommend for this are Stars of the Lid and their Redefinement of the Decline by Stars of the Lid, Apollo by Brian Eno, and A Fragile Geography by Rafael Antoni Israrri. 


Jazz Music

Why not throw it back to the old days and put on some jazz? Jazz doesn't necessarily have to be raucous and full of blaring trumpets and nine-minute modal saxophone solos (even though we love that), it can also be very delicate, tender and thoughtful. Jazz piano in particular can really help you settle into a cosy reading mood, and we would recommend indulging in some Bill Evans or Chet Baker if you are keen to explore the softer side of the genre. Got a crime novel you've really been wanting to read? Jazz might be your best pal.