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.

Dungeon synth, Synthwave, Lofi HipHop, ElderScrolls game soundtracks

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?!

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