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I listen to Bach or Beethoven when I need to really focus. Works wonders. I use it sparingly so that I don't get bored.

I used to find that listening to music without lyrics (classical, movie themes, etc.) did it. Lately though I just listen to a local radio station that plays music I like.

I think I'm convinced that the difference is how well I know the music - listening to the radio is all songs that I've heard hundreds of times, so I don't think I'm subconsciously spending effort listening to the lyrics since I know them already?

For me my poor English becomes an advantage here - I can listen to rock music and completely ignore lyrics, if they are in English and I don't deliberately focus on them. But if the radio starts playing something in my own language then it becomes distracting, even if I heard the song hundreds times before.

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