In a student’s life, time after school is more often than not spent studying. With midterms approaching, this statement is truer than ever. With the increased study time, students may have difficulty remembering everything they study. As some students’ grades drop, many may not know that their lack of cognitive abilities can be blamed on the new hit songs played on the radio.

“Listening to music may diminish your cognitive abilities in these situations because when you’re trying to memorize things in order,” Dr. Nick Perham states. “You can get thrown off and confused by the various words and notes in the song playing in the background.” 

Many people have heard about the Mozart Effect. The Mozart Effect is a brief enhancement of spatial-temporal abilities in college students after listening to a Mozart piano sonata. However, there are a couple of points that are important to know. First of all, the effect only lasts around 10-15 minutes, and secondly very few studies were able to replicate the Mozart Effect. Typically, the Mozart Effect is not a successful for students who want to invest in a get-smart quick scheme.

In a situation where someone is reading while listening to music with lyrics in a language they understand, the two sources of words conflict each-other and the cost results in poor performance of the task. If a task requires memorization, foreign or instrumental music is best. If you’re really set on listening to music while studying but know this may sacrifice your focus, choose classical music or more acoustic music with minimal words to distract you. Movie scores, which typically consist of several orchestral pieces, may also be good background music for you to study. 

“I’ve found that its harder to concentrate when I am listening to other words when I am trying to read because I’m not focusing on one or the other,” senior Jewel Cochran said. “Then I just really miss the point of studying and I get distracted.”

Whether listening to the newest hit song or Beethoven’s 5th symphony, when you need to give learning and memorization of a subject your full attention, silence is golden.