When I read I find that music helps block out most background noises like talking or screaming or the television, or dogs barking. Now when I listen to music I don't go to songs that stream lyrics that I can contemplate or listen along to and focus more towards than the words of the novel. When I go to Youtube or my iPod or iTunes I find the first instrumental song that I can find. Most instrumental music I have consist of movie soundtracks, video game soundtracks, or even anime soundtracks. When I listen to them it helps build upon the image the author writes and describes. It's more so a pick me up when I can't really get into the story or feel for the emotions. Even with writing, for the writers out there I definitely suggest listening to instrumental music whether it be classical, video game style, movies, dubstep, the list is endless.
Another thing that helps me, or maybe it's just because of my tastes, is listening to music from another language. I am a huge fan of Japanese music so I have much of it on my iTunes and iPod but the lyrics, when translated into English, are huge eyeopeners when writing, for me, and even when reading, the flow of the language, the intensity of the singers, it just brings emotions together when I read or even when I write. Any language works too, I also happen to listen to some French music or even Italian is beautiful. Don't cage in your horizon, let it wander. Never be afraid to try new types of music even while reading or writing.
