Last week, my class was working on posters for International Education Week and I put on some music while they were working. I tried to find songs on Youtube that everyone might like or at least things that I liked. After a few songs, I put on Lana del Ray’s Summertime Sadness, which I really love. One of the students, a 20-year-old Venezuelan guy gave me a look, as in “Really? You like this?” I defended myself by teaching them the word eclectic as in “Shut up, I have eclectic tastes in music” and then changed songs.
The fact is, I do love a very wide range of songs that produce some sort of emotional response in me. After all, as a writer I’m trying to evoke an emotional response in the reader, so call it research.
I listen to music when I write since it fuels the creativity pumps deep inside my spirit. Here is a sampling of songs that I really love and that help me in my writing. I can’t guarantee you’ll like all of them and actually, I can pretty much guarantee you won’t like all of them, since what would the odds be of that? (I also like Nightcore-style music, so some of these songs are the Nightcore remix version).
Fear of the Dark – Iron Maiden
Blessed be Your Name – Matt Redman
Courtesy Call – Thousand Foot Krutch
Brother Louie – Modern Talking
Jai Ho – Slumdog Millionaire OST
Vampire Kiss (Nightcore version)
And for my friend Miles, who also loves this song:
Do you listen to music when you write? What kinds of music helps you write the most?
The Green-Walled Tower 
November 18th, 2014 at 12:13 pm
Well, obviously, since I was mentioned, I have to respond in some way.
For me, the music that has inspired me in the past has been smooth jazz music. The Mayumi series that I have written is done with smooth jazz as the inspiration. I also do a lot with 80s music. Anything that catches my ears really does it.
The key is that the music has to evoke a very strong emotional response for me to write. I’ve had many times where I tried to write something, but it never came out properly. A lot of that is due to my current job situation where it takes a lot of my energy.
But, if anyone cares to come over to http://musicandfiction.com/ and take a look at what’s there, I think you’ll find some awesome musical writings. 🙂
November 18th, 2014 at 12:37 pm
Songza (free app) lets you curate a song list for the classroom. You might try that for your great list.
November 18th, 2014 at 1:36 pm
Thanks! I’ll check it out.
November 18th, 2014 at 12:40 pm
I do not listen to music while i write. I find it too distracting. That has not always been the case but it is these days.
November 18th, 2014 at 1:37 pm
I understand that. I can’t listen to some types of music, like anything with a story in it. I like techno, instrumental and foreign music better since the words aren’t distracting.
November 18th, 2014 at 3:02 pm
I listen to and like many sorts of music while I write, and if I don’t actually have something on, then my mind plays some music. I often however listen to twentieth and twenty first century classical music, as it involves the mind, taking one deep into the creative soul. Best wishes and blessings, Charles.
November 18th, 2014 at 3:11 pm
What sorts of modern classical music do you like? I don’t know which composers are good. I find that if I don’t have music on, I find the silence distracting.
November 18th, 2014 at 3:34 pm
There is a huge range of music, so find some that you like and go from there. Composers that I like include Francis Poulenc, Pierre Boulez, Vincent D’indy, Benjamin Britain, Ralph Vaughn-Williams, Philip Glass, John Adams, Shostakovitch, Reich,
Arthur Bliss, Copland,and many others. Charles.
November 19th, 2014 at 4:09 pm
What a mix you have, although many I’ve never heard. It depends on my mood. Often times I don’t write to music, except in the case of NaNoWriMo. I needed music then. It would need to be kind of background music. I’ll have to check out your links!
November 19th, 2014 at 8:31 pm
I felt a little vulnerable sharing that list, since musical taste is something pretty personal. What kind of music do you listen to as background music?
November 20th, 2014 at 4:49 pm
What’s on my iPod?! A bunch of stuff. 🙂
November 21st, 2014 at 10:56 am
Eclectic is an understatement!! I did enjoy the first two. Shall return for the rest. Was surprised to find ‘Jai Ho’ listed under ‘creativity enhancing’ music. That makes me want to jump up and dance 🙂