Whenever I'm performing a task that requires my undivided attention, I rely on a specific set of music to reach the state of flow that I need.
Typically, the music tends to be electronic and ambient-ish.
Soundtracks & Albums
These are great because I listen to them without shuffling the songs. That way, the sense of narrative imbued in them is maintained.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution (OST)
Perhaps my favourite soundtrack of all times. Or at least the one I hear the most.
The album evokes a sense of futurism and channels the cyberpunk essence of the eponymous game. Overall, the album is very dynamic so it might not suit something needing relaxing music.
Machinarium (OST)
My second go-to soundtrack. This one is overall very relaxing and chill. It sounds almost mechanical, which is great whenever I need to put my head to do some heavy work.
FTL: Faster Than Light (OST)
Another soundtrack. This one tends to be optional and I end up playing it as an alternative to Machinarium.
Neotokyo (OST)
I discovered this one thanks to Spotify, after the music I was hearing finished and Spotify's Autoplay started playing similar music. Neotokyo is a Half-Life mod with a cyberpunk twist. I haven't played it but the music caught my attention immediately.
Oxygen Trilogy
Another serendipity sponsored by Spotify. This is a trilogy of albums by Jean-Michel Jarre, an influential composer of electronic and ambient music.
Earth Maiden Arjuna (OST)
This one is also a soundtrack from an anime, Earth Maiden Arjuna.
Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be available on any streaming platform. If lucky, it can be found on YouTube.
The soundtrack is composed of 2 albums: Arjuna: Into the Another World and Onna no Minato.
Playlists
Albums I play sequentially. Playlists I shuffle.
Since I'm not as familiar with the songs as when I hear a soundtrack, shuffling helps the music be aleatory and unpredictable. This is perfect for long sessions of programming, when I just need an endless stream of background music.
Coder's Den
My favourite. The music here is diverse, since most songs come from different albums and even artists.
Coding Albums
This one contains several albums queued up, so it's more easier to catch similar songs together.
I prefer Coder's Den better but this one also contains some hidden gems.
There are some other things I tend to hear but usually I see myself returning to these by default.
What kind of music fuels your code?