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Best Music to Code by?

July 3rd, 2007 by Mike Chambers

OK, now that everyone has helped me stock the Bus’s DVD library, its time to get some music for the bus. So, what do you think is the best music to code by? Im not asking for your favorite music, but rather what do you put in the player, when you have 12 hours of non-stop coding in front of you?

While my coding music tastes change over time (lots of Interpol, The Killers, Bloc Party, and The Roots lately), there are some things that are consistently there for me when I have to pull an all-nighter. This includes lots of downbeat stuff like Kruder and Dorfmeister, as well as Thievery Corporation (although that has gotten a little over-played), old R.E.M., Stereolab, and if im in the mood for something new, then Ill tune in San Francisco’s own SomaFM. My all time top coding album though is probably Radiohead’s OK Computer.

So, what do you think is the best coding music? Does it depend on what you are coding? or coding with? What are the essentials that I need to make sure are on the bus? Post in the comments (or on your blog, and ping back to here).

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 3rd, 2007 at 9:48 am and is filed under You Tell Us.

18 Responses to “Best Music to Code by?”

  1. On July 3rd, 2007 at 10:30 am, Tony MacDonell wrote:

    Well you could get people to build Finetune Playlists, and then create an onAIR tour account where you could mark them all as favorites.

    That way you could use the Finetune Desktop, and get the community to determine what you guys listen to on the tour.

    Hey even better, I could do some tweaks to the Finetune Desktop AIR app to have it log what you listened to at any given time, geo-coded.

    Just a thought….

    Tony.

  2. On July 3rd, 2007 at 1:37 pm, Steve Howard wrote:

    XM-radio channel 29 … Eu-pop.

    Failing that, Corinne Baily-Rae, Imogen Heap, Lily Allen to name just a few.

    Yes I like my music tuneful and mellow. Not the most geeky admission :-)

  3. On July 3rd, 2007 at 2:14 pm, Brandon Ellis wrote:

    I thrive in chaos (That’s why I was a bartender for 17 years). :)
    I find I get the most done listening to very guitar heavy music like Pixies, Frank Black, Jawbreaker, Bad Religion, Replacements and even lighter stuff like Wilco or Son Volt.

    If I am completely stuck on something though, for some reason, if I put on Whiskeytown’s Pneumonia, I usually solve my problem.

  4. On July 3rd, 2007 at 3:25 pm, Kevin Suttle wrote:

    I recommend cLOUDDEAD, Squarepusher, Mouse on Mars, Prefuse-73, and Bonobo. Always good for coding. I’m sure there’s a lot of psychology behind this actually.

  5. On July 3rd, 2007 at 6:33 pm, martin wrote:

    It’s simple really - LTJ Bukem, any of the logical progression stuff. It’s not going to interrupt your flow - jazzy, atmospheric side of drum and bass.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LTJ_Bukem

    The is always the french outfit - “Air” you could tie in a soundtrack deal!

    Put your foot down adobe - get the bus to Australia!

  6. On July 3rd, 2007 at 6:38 pm, martin wrote:

    Serious I just tried - coded for 6 hours straight with this on a loop! pee’d my pants - http://www.amazon.com/Logical-Progression-Level-Bukem-Presents/dp/B00004T6V6/ref=m_art_li_0/105-2511212-4363611

  7. On July 4th, 2007 at 12:56 pm, Mike Givens wrote:

    How about some NIN (Pretty Hate Machine or Broken), The Ramones will keep your code typing at a high rate :-), and to stimulate creativity, some Keiko Matsui should do the trick. For some industrial strength productivity, Ministry should get the blood pumping. Some Husker Du will do for times that you need to introspect your code.

  8. On July 5th, 2007 at 2:07 pm, Nick Main wrote:

    Try the PODRUNNER or GROOVELECTRIC podcasts (both by the same guy).

  9. On July 5th, 2007 at 2:57 pm, Nuno Rosa wrote:

    If Radiohead’s “OK Computer” does the trick for you, try “Radiodread” from Easy Star All-Stars.

    Has been in the top of my playlist lately.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiodread

  10. On July 5th, 2007 at 3:13 pm, nate wrote:

    You should also check out DJ Mark Farina if you like the acid jazz downtempo of K and D. I pick up his tracks always without even hearing them.

    Props to martin on LTJ Bukem.

    Nice thread.

  11. On July 5th, 2007 at 3:24 pm, Claus Wahlers wrote:

    Gotan Project
    Shooting At Unarmed Men
    Von Südenfed
    Cansei De Ser Sexy

  12. On July 5th, 2007 at 5:24 pm, Mitch wrote:

    Yikes you peeps are young! How ’bout some of the good old stuff? Yes, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Beatles… now there’s some music to code by!

  13. On July 6th, 2007 at 1:24 am, paulh wrote:

    the chieftains
    grateful dead
    the band
    john fahey/leo kottke
    billy bragg/wilco
    dengue fever (cambodian psychedelic rock)
    flogging molly

    though i usually just tune in to finetune or weenie juke these days….

  14. On July 6th, 2007 at 5:18 am, Claus Wahlers wrote:

    forgot to mention:
    hives
    pennywise
    and all bands listed by brandon ellis

  15. On July 6th, 2007 at 6:08 am, Nuno Rosa wrote:

    Blasted Mechanism
    http://www.last.fm/music/Blasted+Mechanism

  16. On July 7th, 2007 at 2:57 pm, Simius wrote:

    I found out that the frist two albums by The Strokes are the best for me, when I am coding. Although I listen to some more heavy stuff, too, such as System of a Down and Staind.

  17. On August 10th, 2007 at 12:14 pm, krystyn wrote:

    Words tend to distract me, so my latest playlist includes Slowdive, Grimlock, M83, Mono, and Seefeel.

    Only slightly related, anyone coming to the OnAIR in Atlanta may want to catch a show at the Masquerade afterwards. Slow Motion Crash, The Birthday Massacre and the.START — doors open at 9.

  18. On September 24th, 2007 at 8:00 pm, Garry Schafer wrote:

    Depends - do I need to wake up or zone out?

    Wake up - lately it’s ben Mars Volta. Pixies. Skinny Puppy. Zone out: Bjork, Radiohead, Imogean Heap….

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