As recommended by readers of Electric Speed

• I love to find a radio station on Radio Garden. I like to listen to one in New Zealand, just so I can hear the DJs’ accents! —Christine Mania
• For years I have listened to Leon Bridges on Spotify when I write. It’s gotten to the point that when I hear Leon Bridges elsewhere, I always start to think about work. —Tricia Miller Klapheke
• I listen to game and movie soundtracks, such as Halo, Assassin’s Creed, and Batman. They generally have no words to distract me, and I can grab the right soundtrack that matches the mood of the scene I’m currently writing. —Rachel Aukes
• What Rachel Aukes said. Movie soundtracks are great to write by because they’re specifically written as background music. I love choosing the track for whatever scene I’m writing (romantic, mysterious, heart-pounding, etc.) It’s even better if I’ve never seen the movie so I don’t automatically associate a track with the scene it actually accompanies. I write contemporary women’s fiction, usually with a strong romance thread and some of my favorite composers are Hans Zimmer, James Horner, Dave Grusin, Danny Elfman, and Jeff Beal. —Deb Raney
• I like The SoCal Sound. I listened to KCRW in Santa Monica in the early 00’s and a few of the same people have shows here. Special shout-out to Z Lupetin’s Sway Out West show, which always brings something special my way. —Kelly Turner
• I will play this particular piece by Steve Reich on repeat; it clears out any stray thoughts and helps me concentrate on the writing task at hand. —John Branning
• As for music to write by, I have an iTunes version 10.7.0.21 (locked so it never updates) with the iTunes DJ and a ton of songs. For writing, I’ve used my special Futurama folder with the theme music, the original song that inspired it (”Psyché Rock” by Pierre Henry), and sounds clips from the show. There’s something about the pounding beats that help me focus. —Bill Peschel
• Music I listen to when I write is Brain.FM! I cannot do any work without it. I pay for it every year and have for over three years now. It’s also brilliant for white noise if you need it to sleep, which I use with a little Bluetooth speaker when traveling. —Melanie
• Hawaiian Radio on Pandora —Francesca Mihok
• My playlist of the entire collection of albums by Stars of the Lid. Cannot focus without them. —Lee Hopkins
• I recently started listening to classical music low in the background while I’m working. Typically, I’ll find an Apple Music playlist—Relaxing Classical, Classical for Studying/Focusing/etc.—and shuffle it. The pieces I particularly enjoy I will add to a playlist of favorites. It’s a soothing and, most importantly, non-distracting music choice. My dad (now deceased) used to listen to classical music, so I feel connected to him in a way, too. —Harley Brown
• There are two very different albums that automatically put me in writer’s mode for my current historical fiction WIP. The first is Mark Isham’s hauntingly beautiful soundtrack to the movie A River Runs Through It and the second is an album Mark Griffin (yes, your Mark Griffin 🙂) recommended in his Gray Days and Gold streaming show. I’ve become totally enamoured by British singer-songwriter Laura Groves and in particular her 2023 album Radio Red. As soon as the first few notes begin, I’m in the writing zone. Thanks Mark F. Griffin! —Brian Rendell
• I usually can’t write while listening to music, but my current work in progress is a werewolf novel (yes, you read that right) and I have a playlist on Spotify that is as much fun for me to listen to as it is writing this novel. Here’s the link if you’re interested. —Scott Lyerly
• It can only ever be brown noise for me during writing and editing sessions. The noise starts low and way out wide in my periphery, and over time narrows in, creating a space for tremendous focus. This is my go-to playlist. —Chris Poore
• Hands down, for me, Pandora’s array of instrumental music—whatever genre I need. I cannot write to someone singing lyrics, but I do like to mix up what I’m listening to (e.g., jazz, ambient, new age, holiday or even a specific artist like guitarist Earl Klugh) depending on what I’m writing. I’ve tried a variety of streaming music platforms, and Pandora’s algorithms continue to not only capture what I want to hear but also introduce me to new artists who blend in seamlessly. —Renee Enna
• I use the “Binaural Focus” playlist from Amazon Music—Spotify has one as well. I don’t know what the science is exactly, but it’s a good background atmosphere that keeps me focused. —Tresta Payne
• It was made to listen to while reading, but works great for writing! Bach for Book Lovers providers lovely background noise that is pleasant but undisturbing. —Jason Maynard
• My writing playlist includes lots of moody instrumental music (i.e., without lyrics). Two favorites are the albums Screws by Nils Frahm and Riceboy Sleeps by Jónsi and Alex Somers. —Lee Thomas
• I have an electric guitar, bass guitar, and microphone in my office behind my desk, and I almost always play and sing before writing (whether creatively or for my legal practice). I’m a 90s grunge rocker, so I usually play and sing a few of the more aggressive tracks off Nirvana’s In Utero or Nevermind, but if I haven’t replaced a broken string on my guitar I’ll play Incubus songs on my bass instead. Singing while playing guitar helps to sync up my right and left brains—connect the creative side to the analytical, which helps me organize my thoughts and structure my writing before I begin. I’ve never been able to listen to music while writing, reading, studying, etc., but I always have music playing in my head while I write. It’s always a specific song related to the mood and atmosphere of the scene I’m painting. —Rob Rogers