Can Lo-Fi Help You Study?
With back-to-school approaching and more students returning to school and classes, studying and revision have unfortunately come once again. Back-to-school content has been circling the internet like study tips and college dorm makeovers, and study playlists are sure to gain more attraction for those who study with music. A popular genre within these study playlists on YouTube especially is Lo-fi, a genre particularly associated with playlists to study/relax to—but why? Why is Lo-fi, in particular, associated with study playlists and what exactly is Lo-fi music?
Lo-fi (Lo-Fi) stands for “low fidelity” and is generally defined as music production that deliberately has imperfections and technical flaws. It usually includes background noise like environmental sounds (rain or wind for example) and sounds from the music production like low hums, sounds of microphone static, and record scratches. Lo-fi “hip-hop” is the type particularly associated with these study playlists. Generally, it mixes elements from hip-hop (similar beats and sometimes includes rap) with “chill-out music” (a relaxed mood and slow tempos). Because of its production not needing expensive equipment, a lot of the tracks from these playlists included songs from individuals on SoundCloud, a place for artists to release independent music.
YouTube playlists and the introduction of YouTube live-stream “radio stations” popularized Lo-fi as “beats to study/relax to.” The radio streams allowed 24/7 music, potentially becoming popular with study playlists for long uninterrupted music. One video in particular, showing an anime girl studying (now known as the “Lo-fi Girl”), popularized the genre (now has thousands of people watching the live stream at any given time) and associated it with study playlists. The genre is so popular now that Spotify has its own radios and playlists for Lo-fi beats to “relax, study, and focus.” The relaxed mood and connection to chill-out music make Lo-fi ideal for relaxing, hence the playlist and video titles, but what makes Lo-fi so appealing for studying?
Lo-fi songs have few lyrics and the lyrics that are included aren’t the focus which can help for concentration and focus since lyrics tend to distract most in a focused setting. Since Lo-fi is also known to be relaxing with its slow beats and low hums, the main reason why Lo-fi is seen to be good to listen while studying; is the relaxing effect it has can help with the nerves and stress that come with studying (especially during inevitable cram sessions). While it can be relaxing, the tempo and a consistent beat keep it easy for those who listen to focus without getting too relaxed. Since Lo-fi is such a popular genre for study playlists, there are many articles and videos discussing its benefits for concentration and reducing anxiety with some scientific reasoning.
With this, it's no surprise that Lo-fi has been gaining popularity in these spaces and has helped a lot of people, especially students, to relax and focus. So, with back to school and studying coming or starting for some, it's the perfect time to try pairing some Lo-fi songs to make work a little easier.
Cover Photo by Juan Pablo Machado. Edited by Madison Case.