My selection of classics mostly. That includes Bach, Lizt and others. I get distracted by music with words. I also listen to scores such as by Michael Nyman, James Horner. I remember playing Clubbed to death (Kurayamino Mix) and The Beginning is the end is the beginning over and over while coding.

The golden sound of silence most of the time. Any programming outfit that lets people play their own music on speakers to bother their programmers is just asking for trouble. Anyone who tries that in our office is going to lose their job very quickly.

Depends on the mood.

I usually like techno/disco, like Chillhouse Project, or much better -- trance (since it usually doesn't have lyrics), but in some days I code to Metallica.

However for most people I think trance/techno and other music which don't have lyrics would be best, because they could continue with their verbal streams of thought without distraction.

More often, I'd rather not have any music on. I kinda like the ambient office sounds/noise, and I can block enough off to not get distracted -- I also hate being oblivious to office happenings. :)

On the few occasions that I listen to music, I prefer tracks that I've already listened to many, many times, so I won't have to worry about getting too engaged with the songs. This includes stuff by The Eraserheads and L'Arc~en~Ciel.

There's this one track that I can listen to ALL day, on repeat. It's Simon and Garfunkel's "59th Street Bridge Song".

Rarely listen to music nowadays, but when I do it's usually something by Radiohead or Pink Floyd. Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue" is also great to listen to when coding.

I usually start off with adrenaline inducing sounds(fast and loud eg metallica/dream theater, greenday), and plateau into pop/alternative (lifehouse,incubus,the fray, dishwalla etc), by then I'm hammering codes...

and then management calls for meeting or a phone rings, mood drops, then loops again...

My officemates are noisy and usually play their own songs for everyone else to hear. I put on songs that I can tune out of so I can concentrate on working.

If I begin to notice what I'm listening to, I immediately press shuffle. Sometimes, though, I need a pick-me-up so I listen to Vivaldi's Concerto. This is usually early in the morning. Sometimes I feel I need to be down so I listen to the wonderful OST of the movie The Fountain. If I'm angry (and on a looming deadline) I usually complement it with the Wanted OST. I don't really multitask well so I don't like listening to lyrics and these soundtracks are wonderful for that reason.

Sometimes... when I just want to coast, I listen to some of Andy Mckee's sweet guitar pluckings.

Nothing. Listening to music is a dedicated activity for me.

Mostly Jazz/Instrumental music.

Current playlist (artists):

Andy McKee (search this guy on YouTube if you haven't seen him play yet. note: you have to SEE how he plays)

David Benoit

David Foster

Dave Grusin

It depends on my mood and how im feeling.. but i'd usually have no music at all cause sometimes i can get easily carried away and lost my focus.

JAZZ FTW!

I usually go for Jazz guitar tracks like those of Frank Gambale, Scott Henderson and Larry Carlton. Or Jazz groups like Chick Corea Elektric Band, Tribaltech, Oz Noy or Fourplay.

Since I'm starting to learn Jazz music as well, so it is a double purpose when listening to Jazz while coding.

If I have a headache or such because of coding problems, I usually go for Smooth Jazz or New Age music like Enya for example.

Then, if there are other else, go I usually feel at home with different genres (RNB, Trance, Rock, Metal, Pop). I also have a funny part where I get to hear the music/track for the whole day without even changing it. LSS or Last Song Syndrome...

I've been using this cool little app called BrainWave Generator ever since. It's not technically music, it supposedly generates sound frequencies that stimulate different areas of your brain, causing controllable effects.

And did I mention it generates + geek XP.

I find that listening to music often distracts me from dev work. it's best reserved (for me) as a separate activity. What works sometimes though is soundtracks, the orchestral ones.

I listen to mostly jazz, trance and death metal(old self). Pat Metheny, Esmeralda Spalding(SHE'S VERY GOOD!) Hed Kandi, Solstice, Capharnaum and Death most of the time.

I go for rammstein! btw, their new album is about to come out. :D

My roommate before hated when I listen to the jazz or blues back in college. That's for brainstorming time. But when coding proper starts, I usually go for alternative / rock.

Some Japanese Songs(mostly anime). I get to enjoy the beat while not being distracted with the lyrics since I don't really understand them. Examples: Uverworld, M-flo, Yui, etc.

Video game or Anime BGMs/instrumentals. Believe me or not, some of them are actually good. Most of them are perfect for revving me up or calming me down. Examples: Guilty Gear OSTs, Final Fantasy OSTs, King of Fighters OST, Naruto OSTs(Toshiro Masuda)

90's OPM such as Eraserheads, Parokya ni Edgar, Rivermaya. Only problem is some of them are nostalgic which brings back memories......

The Bourne Identity OST.

It doesn't have the distracting lyrics from my favorite songs (which I tend to sing inside my head) and it raises my adrenaline. =D

Music from klove.com. :)

Pachelbel's Canon during mundane tasks and Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody when it's rush mode :)

European symphonic metal like Within Temptation and Nightwish.

technoPop! House music! something that's upbeat!