I know I may sound stupid, but I listen to soft piano instrumental to help get calm and get my mind clear while studying. I normally listen to RnB, trance and house. But hey, worked for Business Studies, English Paper1 and Paper 2.
Usually doesn't help but I'd go insane studying for as long as I have been without it.
Music with vocals is much more distracting, I must admit. I've got a few instrumental-only songs, and a few instrumental-only albums. Also a few soundtracks, etc. Although it only adds up to 6 hours and I'll usually go through that in one day so the same songs keep popping up.
Yer i always listen to sum hiphop specially for maths. But today when i was doin a 2007 maths in exam conditons, i had all this random shit goin throuhg my head. Like songs, and movies. I even started laughing cos the beging of Ali G was playing in my mind really clearly. I mean WTF? I made a few stupid mistakes as well.
So its probably bad for me to listen to music while studying, cos then im only half focused in exam conditions.
BUT i wouldnt be able to get through studying without it!
Well I've found that listening to classical music helps.
In fact I heard off one of my teachers that a study found that classical music helps you retain information (no hint of weasel words in that sentence ). Apparently it has something to do with the pulse of the music; perhaps that the beats on 1 and 3 not 2 and 4...
Also strangely enough I've found that some avant-garde jazz helps sometimes. Nothing like some Ornette Coleman to liven up your mind.