I like any of the Nujabes albums. He makes chilled, mainly instrumental, hip hop music.
Any rando lofi channel on YouTube/Spotify/Online Radio Stations
I think this is a really good answer. Just search for a focus playlist on whatever platform and let it run.
If I’m picking out music more specific, I find myself thinking about that, and what it’s like, and if it’s helping, and maybe I should hey this other album or artist.
Don’t let picking the music distract too much from focusing on what you want to do.
Here’s a tip I picked up somewhere. Make a playlist. An hour or two worth of music. ONLY listen to it when you’re studying. I’ve found my brain just blocks it out after a few times through, but it triggers my subconscious or something. As in, if I’m not feeling like studying, I put it on and my brain just goes,“OK, it’s time to study.” I change it up when I’m starting a new long task (writting a new book, starting a new semester, whatever). At first, I find myself listening to it, but it doesn’t take much repetition for it to fade into the background.
Piano Phase by Steve Reich
In a Space Outta Sound by Nightmares on Wax
I just added a bunch of classical to a playlist and then removed the occasional piece I found distracting. I still use that playlist when I need to focus.
Bonobo - Dial M for Monkey
Anything by Erang. If you are into medieval mythical themed hymns.
Anything from Hammock. The older albums mostly.
Use something mellow in a different language from your own, it is less distracting.
I like to listen to brasilian Bossa Nova like this Getz/Gilberto Album
Or something without lyrics like Yiruma if you like Piano music.
Robot Science
Not really a album but MyNoise.net has a lot of good generators for background noise. Radio Free Fedi’s Comfy channel also is great for chill study music, and it only plays indie artists that have Fediverse accounts with links to the artist support pages where you can either buy their albums (or songs to build your own piecemeal) https://radiofreefedi.net/.
I like listening to video game music when studying. I heard somewhere that game designers use their music to keep you playing their game and lose track of time and hyper focused.
I do this!
Bit of of left field here: The going under OST. Was the soundtrack to my exams
Anything by Kiasmos. Also Chopin.