Another good one is soundtracks - personally I like futuristic stuff (Deus Ex: HR soundtrack, or Mass Effect, or Person of Interest), as they are designed not to detract from the point of focus.
Lastly, luvstep/liquid dubstep type things are quite vapid but listen-able.
> I've always found myself to be most productive when listening to repetitive electronic music - it motivates but also doesn't distract you too much.
Yup, goa-trance for me :)
Music with a lot of lyrics is most distracting to me, though I've found it also depends on the particular way the vocals are mixed/mastered, on some albums they're much harder to ignore than others. Lyrics in my native tongue (Dutch) are hardest to ignore, but even music in a foreign language I don't understand at all (say, the xxx rottweiler hundar, Icelandic hiphop) is more distracting than something (almost) purely instrumental.
Thanks, I am already aware :) Two recent finds on that site I've been listening to a lot are Mindsphere - Inner Cyclone (old school melodic goa) and Pavel Svimba - Space Babuska (real crazy, poppy psy, reminds of Haltya, some great mixing/mastering, way too distracting for this thread though :) ).
This site shows that it is in fact possible to offer great quality music online for free & legal download. I'm frankly amazed actually, just how it can be. These producers must love their craft so much.
Oh, Tron Legacy OST is the thing! You could also try Doctor Who soundtrack from season 5 and 6, it can do wonders, but sometimes you have to skip at track or two (as they are just too good and make you drop everything you are doing and listen)
Bastion OST is nice too!
Check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUAAVUKk6Fc - it's rather seedy and excellent in it's own right. Two Lone Swordsmen is okay, too.
Another good one is soundtracks - personally I like futuristic stuff (Deus Ex: HR soundtrack, or Mass Effect, or Person of Interest), as they are designed not to detract from the point of focus.
Lastly, luvstep/liquid dubstep type things are quite vapid but listen-able.