Books

Yeah usually music with no vocals. Video game soundtracks are great, and there are some Legend of Zelda LoFi mixes on YouTube I really enjoy. Sometimes I'll also throw on some rain ambiance.

I use an app called myNoise. It generates some sounds based on presets. The ones I use varies by the theme or genre I'm reading. For example, when I'm reading a medieval fantasy, I select Distant Prayers in Gregorian Voices.

I personally can't. I find it too distracting, even lyricless stuff. Oddly the opposite is often okay... I can listen to an audiobook while doing something else mindless and not miss out on details. But a physical or ebook generally takes my full attention.

Only music I cant listen to and read, is if there are any words at all. Just completely messes up everything. From time to time some low volume synthwave is nice.

I don't usually listen to anything, BUT when the author mentions that some music is playing (for example a character walks into a jazz bar, or there is a specific song playing in the radio), I really like to put on the same music, and listen along with the characters.

Edit: On the Road by Jack Kerouac is a great example.

I don’t usually but I popped a “sleep music” playlist created for me by Spotify on the other day because I wanted to try out my new headphones. I was having a nice soothing time until a legit nursery rhyme came on. Twinkle twinkle little star I believe. I don’t even have children, wtf?!

Dungeon synth, Synthwave, Lofi HipHop, ElderScrolls game soundtracks

I have huge jazz mixes and classical mixes that I tend to prefer for reading, but sometimes I go for lo-fi if it's late and I want my brain off.

It depends a lot on my mood, but quite often I end up listening to classical music. In particular Olga Scheps music I find is a really nice background music for reading or something more dark in nature.

I do the same as @Tuna, so sounds of rain/thunderstorms and soundtracks. I don't like any vocals when reading.

Sometimes yes, but it depends a lot on the book. Also, each book might call for a different type of music. Best fit I can think of, was listening to Beethoven while reading The unbearable lightness of being.

Either way, always no lyrics, and often try to avoid songs I know so I can't hum or sing along.

Instrumental music, usually film scores or video game soundtracks.

Dr. Dog - Fate And before this was Dirty Projectors - Swing Low Magellan

I sometimes listen to piano music while reading. It has to be relatively quiet and relaxed, or it becomes distracting.

I have five other people living in this house, and nobody ever wants to turn the damn TV off. The only silent reading time I get is right before bed, which puts me to sleep pretty quickly. So if I want to read, I need headphones in, and I try to find instrumental music that's thematic to the book I'm reading.

When I was a young man I used to come home from work every day, put Marilyn Manson on the stereo, and read Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. That's the last time I can remember actively listening to music while reading a book. Now a days I just read before bed, so no music.

Synthwave