I have the ADHD and unless it’s a mindless task, I can’t listen to music or it makes it much harder for me to concentrate. For anyone else with the disorder, I’d encourage you to at least give it a shot working WITHOUT music and see if it improves your concentration.
Krautrock
Years ago I got a disc called Sounds of Slashdot. It was at a con, I think.
Anyway it’s got some “gamemaster” “lost tribe” thing among some musical tracks on the CD. I have No Idea what it is, but I put it on and the sounds fucks with distractions and I can enter the Flow more easily for work. It’s a great trigger.
I need to find more of that.
Gaming LoFi, Gaming Metal, Gaming Jazz, Space Folk
Drum’n’Bass
Deep House
I’ve been listening to breakcore lately. Gets me in the mood for serious work, it’s like a microdose of adhd meds
There’s a channel on Youtube called My Analogue Journey, I usually chuck that on.
House music. Nearly everyday while I code. Mostly Chris Luno sets.
Techno, house, trance, or nintendo music.
Grindcore
Been on the lofi Chopin and similar songs lately.
https://open.spotify.com/track/52gMaGkqtK2GIjWaIgwIW8?si=D8GI6SeVQe6BQGM4OWYVHg
Depends on the kind of concentration. If I’m programming or doing some kind of math, I want fury. I’m reaching for Slayer or Megadeth or the Doom sound track. Nothing like Angel of Death to plow through something.
If it’s more contemplative, power ballads. Something I can sing without focusing on it. I Want to Know What Love Is. Keeps pace, but it’s more emotional. Keeps me in that thoughtful place.
Cooking, woodworking, cleaning. Something active but not on the whole fast. Heavy metal, southern rock, or blues. Kiss, CCR, Lynyrd Skynyrd, BB King. Something even tempo that can pick up and come back down. Freebird followed by Fortunate Son is a good example.
Selected Ambient Works
90s electronic, Autechre
I love 90s electronic for concentration. But I’ve gotten into Tycho recently.
Incunabula, their debut album as Autechre, is also fantastic:
Lofi covers of video game music. Mostly Zelda, because I am a dork.