School is back in session and with a new school year comes assignments, projects and tests. Grades can be one of the most stressful parts of the academic year and sometimes you need something to put on in the background that will help ease your mind but also help you focus at the same time.

Studying is different for everybody but one thing that has been proven is that listening to movie soundtracks while you study can help your concentration. This is generally because movie soundtracks are made to help you focus on the movie but not distract you or take you out of the action. This same idea can work for studying when you are trying to focus but don’t want the background noise to take all of your concentration.

This list will give you the best soundtracks to study too and will hopefully give you a better experience in the library, coffee shop or simply your room at home when you are trying to make sure you remember everything you need to.

Top 10 Soundtracks for Studying this school year

“The Theory of Everything” – Johann Johannson

A film surrounding the history of Stephen Hawking and his struggles with illness, relationships and figuring out his work life. This soundtrack combines soft, lulling melodies with more intense moments to bring a certain lightness to your studying while also feeling like a story is being told simply through music.

“Call Me By Your Name” – Various Artists

If you are somebody who wants instrumental music as well as songs that you can sing along too, the “Call Me By Your Name” soundtrack is one of the best choices. With beautiful yet haunting songs by Sufjan Stevens there are also a number of non-vocal tracks on this soundtrack that can help lull you through your study sessions.

“Forrest Gump” – Alan Silvestri

Known for being an incredibly character and story driven film, the soundtrack of the movie is one of the large elements that help tell the beats of Forrest moving through the different times in his life. This soundtrack uses tracks that feel nostalgic but yet happy and cheerful at the same time and can hopefully add a bit of an uplifting feeling to getting through the school year.

“The Shape of Water” – Various Artists

A strange film that tells the story of a woman who falls in love with an under sea creature, the score for this film is quirky but yet also strangely warm and comforting. With the story focusing on two individuals who feel out of place coming together, the soundtrack somehow feels like it is coming together as well.

“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” – Harry Gregson-Williams

If you are somebody who wants something a little more intense or loud for your study session, this soundtrack will offer you the pace that you want. Oftentimes this score gets slightly more adventurous and fast paced and will be the perfect choice to keep you awake during a late night.

“Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” – Klaus Badelt

Another soundtrack for those who don’t want something as soft or lullaby like some of the others, the “Pirates of the Caribbean” soundtrack will leave nothing to be desired with its moving scores and fast pace, this one will surely be a perfect choice for any study session.

“The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” – Various Artists

If you are somebody who likes more fantastical or magical sounding music, this soundtrack will be right up your alley. With tons of beautiful instrumentals and string sounds all around, this music feels like a breath of fresh air. While there are moments of seriousness on this soundtrack, the overall feeling is one of peace and calm.

“The Princess Diaries” – John Debney

If you are looking for a hit of nostalgia, this soundtrack will be exactly what you need. With feelings of happiness and fun all around this music simply creates a lighthearted atmosphere that will help keep your mood up during any situation.

“La La Land” – Various Artists

Something a little bit different from most of the soundtracks on this list, most of these songs have lyrics and they are all a part of a musical so they tell a story all on their own. If you are somebody who enjoys musicals and is looking for a bit more upbeat of a study session than this movie’s songs will be all you need to keep going and they will be stuck in your head all day.

“Phantom Thread” – Johnny Greenwood

A soundtrack that is simple and sophisticated, these instrumentals will be a good type of music for anybody who just needs some calm but slightly serious music to get through their studies.

Sometimes studying can seem like the most annoying task you may have at hand, however one of the things that can make it slightly less painful is if you have music to attach to it that you enjoy and want to listen to. Sometimes giving yourself a little extra push is all the help you need and a playlist is a great place to start.