If you’re anything like me, you rely on a good song to keep yourself motivated while frantically typing up an essay that’s due in an hour and a half. Honestly, how can you possibly lock in if your work tunes are lacking? But when you’re faced with a mound of last-minute required reading, the prospect of hunting down the perfect accompanying Spotify playlist is nothing short of overwhelming. The options are seemingly endless.

I consulted Cambridge’s most seasoned study playlist buffs (my Instagram followers) to find out what fellow students are listening to in the library… and the results were delightful and disturbing in equal measure. Stick on your headphones: it’s time to choose your fighter and unlock your new study soundtrack.

The classical connoisseur

We all know one. The type of person who can distinguish their Brahms from their Beethoven in approximately 0.04 seconds. And they don’t sigh when Amol Rajan asks University Challenge contestants to identify Mendelssohn instead of Madonna. The consulted Cambridge connoisseurs tell me that there’s nothing better than a Baroque sonata or Romantic symphonic poem during an intense lock-in session at the University Library.

Apparently, it’s been scientifically proven that listening to classical music improves your focus… and Einstein credited his Bach-listening for some of his best work. So it should be good enough for my seventeen-minute revision session, right?

Top picks:

• Antonín Dvořák, ‘The Water Goblin’, 1896
• Benjamin Britten, ‘Sinfonia da Requiem’, 1940
• Franz Schubert, ‘String Quartets’, 1810-1826
• Louise Farrenc, ‘Symphony No. 3’, 1847
• Johann Sebastian Bach, ‘St. Matthew Passion’, 1727

The (sound)track star

Sometimes you just have to live deliciously. When everything feels like it’s getting a little too heavy, why not add a dash of whimsy into your life? Whether it’s the smooth and atmospheric synth strings of Twin Peaks or the lively rhythms of the Fantastic Mr Fox score, every successful essay needs its own film soundtrack. The opportunities are eternal with this one.

Top picks:

• Anything Studio Ghibli – to be peacefully spirited away
• Harry Gregson-Williams, The Chronicles of Narnia, 2005 – for a touch of magical nostalgia
• Magnet and Paul Giovanni, The Wicker Man, 1973 – for slightly unsettling folk vibes
• Yann Tiersen, Amélie, 2001 – accordion meets bicycle wheel for maximum eccentricity

The Jazz-erwocky

Beware the Jazzerwock, my son! The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Grab your beret and a diabolical amount of caffeine – it’s time to pretend you’re a true sophisticated intellectual. There’s nothing quite like jazz to help you feel like a 1950s Beat poet while you’re typing away over a steaming Americano. Bonus points if you’re wearing a polo neck or performatively reading some obscure novel. Just try not to start scatting at passersby.

All jokes aside, the jazz cats who landed in my DMs were all very keen to tell me that you don’t have to be an expert to enjoy the genre.

Top picks:

• Sidney Bechet, ′Egyptian Fantasy’, 1941
• Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, ‘Moanin’’, 1959
• Charles Mingus, ‘Ah Um’, 1959
• Billie Holliday, ‘God Bless the Child’, 1939
• Dave Brubeck, ‘Strange Meadow Lark’, 1960

The electronic enthusiast

What beats a synth beat? If you want your head to be bopping in the King’s Parade Caffè Nero, these are the picks for you. (Just don’t blame me when a local asks if you’re experiencing a medical emergency).

Top picks:

• Propellerheads, ‘Take California’, 1997 – essential big beat
• Leftfield, ‘Phat Planet’, 1999 – perfectly repetitive two-note bassline for essay writing
• The Prodigy, ‘Climbatize’, 1997 – 129 beats per minute AND a tambourine
• Orbital, ‘The Box Part 2’, 1996 – the stop-motion promo video even features Tilda Swinton. Fantastic.

Going rogue

When you reach essay crisis point, the conventional picks just won’t cut it. If you truly need a miracle, why not push the boat out and try something a little distinctive?

Top picks:

• Gregorian Chants – for when you’d rather be locked in a medieval monastery than locked into your worksheet. A word of advice – maybe turn down the volume so they don’t echo from your headphones in public. Definitely not speaking from experience.
• Highly Problematic Rap – one anonymous listener shared that they pick only the most controversial lyrics for a real kick of harsh motivation. Hey, whatever gets you through that 9am dissertation grind. Who am I to judge.
• Charli XCX, Brat, 2024 – ‘Von Dutch’ on repeat in your ancient college library? This was a surprisingly popular pick, and I respect it. Warning: not for the easily distracted.

Side quest complete! Congratulations, your new study soundtrack is officially unlocked. I hope you found something that tickled your eardrums and padded out your playlist. And if not, I don’t really give a rap. Stay out of treble, players.