It’s that time of the year, where the work seems like it never ends. All-nighters become a common occurrence. You basically live in the library. And you have more caffeine in your blood stream than blood. With all the exams, papers, and presentations that come with the end of the semester, there is no time to be distracted. But it still happens. You turn on Spotify, start to listen to your new favorite song, start singing along with the lyrics and then you look at the clock: two hours have gone by and you are still only on the first page of your paper! The lyrics of the songs are so distracting that you can’t focus on writing your paper. How are you ever going to get all your work done? The solution is simple: listen to lyric-less songs.

Lyric-less songs provide the perfect balance between blocking out the distracting noises of the library while providing a nice soothing backdrop for completing work. There are no complex song lyrics to distract you. Listening to lyric-less music is a great way to get work done and get it done fast! Especially during crunch time in the semester.

Here are seven of my favorite lyric-less songs to help you focus during the end of the semester:

1. "The Imitation Game" - Alexandre Desplat, London Symphony Orchestra

This song is obviously from "The Imitation Game" original motion picture soundtrack. This song starts with a beautiful piano playing in the beginning and then gradually builds throughout the song, gaining momentum. This is the perfect song for working because it keeps a nice casual tone throughout the whole song that is perfect for studying for any exam. I also highly recommend you check out the whole soundtrack because all the songs are instrument and all of them are amazing

2. "Home" - Explosions In The Sky

This is from the "Friday Night Lights" original motion picture soundtrack, and I also recommend that you all check out this entire soundtrack. This song has a nice and slow repetitive tune throughout. The softness of the notes are perfect for getting lost in the thoughts of your paper. Definitely check out this song when you want something more quiet to listen to.

3. "300 Violin Orchestra" - Jorge Quintero

If you need to get motivated to do work that you really don’t want to do, this is the song for you! The heavy beats and intensity of each note are perfect for getting in the zone to write a final paper or do research for a presentation. Whereas the last song was nice and slow, this song is perfect for those upbeat moments in studying. This song will definitely help you hyper-focus.

4. "Centuries" Piano/Cello Cover - Brooklyn Duo

This duo of a pianist and cellist do amazing covers of current pop songs. When most people think of lyricless songs they think of classical music, but that is not always the case. While you can still tell that this song is "Centuries" by Fall Out Boy, the song is not at all distracting. By listening to this cover you get to hear the familiar tune of a current pop song while not losing track of your work. Again, I recommend you check out some of their other covers because it is pretty amazing what this duo can accomplish with just a piano and cello.

5. "Where Is My Mind" - Maxence Cyrin

This song is all piano. It is extremely soothing and perfect for long nights in the library where you just need to sit down and focus. It is also especially good for completing tasks you don’t want to complete. This song is so enjoyable that it can make any unbearable task seem pleasant. Put this song on and you will start banging out assignments like a pro!

6. "Your Hand in Mine" - Explosions In The Sky

This song is also from the "Friday Night Lights" original motion picture soundtrack, if you couldn’t tell I like this soundtrack a lot. This song is just another great option for when you are trying to get work done. It has a lot of great guitar work, which makes it different from all the other songs listed above. So if you are just looking to switch things up or are trying to refocus on a new task, this song will definitely get you back on track.

7. Coffee Shop Sounds

Now I know this isn’t a song but sometimes even lyric-less music can be a little distracting. That is why I also prefer listening to coffee shop sounds while studying. It provides the right amount of background noise for a perfect focusing atmosphere. There are plenty of coffee shop recordings on YouTube that you can check. For those of you who work better in a Starbucks setting but only have access to the library, I highly recommend you check these recordings out.

I hope you all enjoy these songs as much as I do. Happy studying!