I find all rock and pop music too distracting for working conditions. The only possible exception is if the work I am doing is so plug 'n' chug that little brain activity is needed.

For me, any coding or design work can only be done with electronic music, "classical" music, or jazz. This is due to their tendencies towards long songs that do not demand so much every second, allowing my mind to breathe.

Or maybe it's just that I am generally less familiar with the details of said genres, so my mind isn't forced to follow the song as actively. Indeed, classical music that I know very well is harder to work with than that I am less familiar with.

Of course, the ironic thing for a music lover like myself is that I have to turn off the music every time I really have to think hard, especially if I am writing and not just coding or designing.

But long, rambling electronic music is my favorite for most work, as it often lacks an overt emotional component, instead imparting a sleek, futuristic feel of "I'm working efficiently". Amon Tobin, Orbital, Photek, Goldie, Chemical Bros., what-have-you.

In general, longish songs, slowish tempo, lower tones- regardless of style or lyrical content. I'm perfectly happy to be distracted by suddenly hearing a great lyric or chord. :)

Lately- Bjork Vespertine, Tom Waits Closing Time, Yo La Tengo And Then Nothing Turned..., D'Angelo Voodoo.

But I've found that I get deeply into coding, I get really frenetic. James Brown works well then.

Christy- does Sigur Ros work for you in phase 2?

i think my all time favorites for coding are Boards of Canada, which is low-key electronica a la mellowed-out Aphex Twin, and Glenn Gould playing Bach. good working music must be present enough to offer inspiration and energy, but not intrusive enough to interrupt your thoughts. but whenever i really start thinking hard, i don't hear a thing anyway.

for writing or artistic stuff, usually classical music or something like Ali Farka Toure or Nusrat or Cuban music. lately, a lot of Beth Orton and Blonde Redhead (i know they are almost polar opposites). Come to think of it, often choral music like Anonymous 4, Josquin, or Velasquez. no beethoven because he is too... rapturous.

i agree with todd. No pop music.

Sigur Ros sometimes works for Phase 2, especially at night. Actually, I don't think I can ever get THAT deep into work before about 8:30pm. But that's an entirely different conversation.

Maybe the distinction for me is that, when I'm really, seriously working, I tend to listen to the music that's not my everyday stuff. If I listen to anything I know too well, I start to sing along, or at least subconsciously anticipate the good parts, which is distracting. So I break out longlost favorites, which, sadly, includes a lot of my classical stuff. (Sadly b/c I wish I had the attention span to listen to it more.)

But I think James Brown could fit the bill, too, depending on my mood. And when I first got Pet Sounds, that was the ONLY album for a while.

You're all going to laugh -- but my secret "won't come up for air till it's done" music is Devo's greatest hits. That jangly amphetamine tempo, same one for every cut. They're not at all sexy or lyrically deep or instrumentally rich -- nothing distracting. Throw that on "Repeat" and I get an extra latte's worth of energy.

I have a weird one... I grew up playing Final Fantasy on NES/SNES, and spent many hours methodically leveling characters in those games.
I listen to an RPG audio stream on Live365.com, for some reason the oldschool RPG music always gets me into phase where I pound out code.

I love listening to anything while I'm working but I usually work better if it doesn't have any lyrics.