A survey of students found —54% listen to music during academic reading while 46% avoid it completely. Researchers discovered that students deeply connected to music in daily life were significantly more likely to study with background music and rate it helpful. Classical music topped preferences for studying, followed by rock and pop, with students favoring instrumental tracks over lyrical content. Among music listeners, many reported enhanced focus, reduced anxiety, and better motivation, while 86% of avoiders cited distraction as their main concern. Surprisingly, working memory skills and daydreaming tendencies showed no correlation with music preferences during study sessions. Students with formal music training were actually less likely to use background music.