I prefer silence but generally use music to focus. My choices aren't usually music or silence in practice, but music or office background noise.

Since my ordered ranking is Silence, then Music, with Office Noise last, music it is.

But music as instrumentals, yes ? Words are very distracting.

	▲	mmcdermott 4 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		The deeper the concentration, the fewer words I want - or at least words I understand. Classical music with words I don't understand can also work quite well. There also seems to be a vague point where I have heard the lyrics so many times they stop being distracting.
	▲	hallgrim 5 hours ago \| parent \| prev \| next [-]
		Funny. For me, instrumental music is just as distracting. If I don’t know the music I listen to well enough, my attention will go there and make any coding or reading impossible.
	▲	TacticalCoder 7 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		Yup this. While working I love instrumental-only electronic music: no voices.