Does having music on help you write?

[RedImperator]

Sometimes I have it on, sometimes I don't. I'm pretty sure it doesn't actually matter, because when I'm in the zone, I could write for an hour and not tell you the name of a single song that played, and when I'm struggling, I could be distracted by a cricket.

Now television, on the other hand, is almost always an impossible distraction. Especially commercials. I can tune out TV shows, but the commercials always barge in. Strangely, I know this, but I always think, "Oh, I'll just turn on the TV and keep working." For this reason, I always try to write in a room without a television.

[Davey]

Me, I always do, with few exceptions, even for working. But usually the only things I listen to while I'm actually working or writing are either easy listening jazz or soft ambient music with a steady, constant beat and consistent rhythm. I save the heavy metal and the hard rock for when I don't need to focus on something at hand.

It works quite well for me.

[SushiMaster]

Most of the time I help music keeps me awake, for example in finals week and I'm studying my ass off with limited sleep, and alone. When doing mundane tasks, it helps me keep focused.

It really depends on the mood I'm currently in, and the importance of the writting/work.

[supercar14]

Yes and no. Mostly yes, I usually can’t do anything without background music or else ill go nuts. I mostly when writing I listen to my Three Days Grace album, actually that's the only time I listen to it now. But sometimes like when I’m writing and the music is kind of high energy I just get too pumped up and have to go and run it off.