2021 Why lo-fi is the perfect background music

If the music or video does not play, even after a pause, try reloading your page.

Artist: Bob Tozier
School: North Allegheny

Notes:

EPISODE 166

Lo-Fi hip-hop has emerged as a hugely popular genre and internet subculture. Its millions of loyal fans rely on curated lo-fi playlists and live-streams to write to, study to and even fall asleep to. Heck, we even wrote a good chunk of our book to Spotify’s lo-fi beats playlists. There’s just something about those ambient, spacey, plodding beats that place us in a state of determined zen. But what of its musical roots? Who are its stars? And why, despite its mass following on YouTube, Spotify and elsewhere, is it nearly impossible to spot on the Billboard? We trace lo-fi from its godfathers to its moments in the sun, to the complex creative ecosystem playing out on streaming platforms today.

https://switchedonpop.com/episodes/why-lo-fi-is-the-perfect-background-music

Comments

Sarah Feick from: North Allegheny - posted: March 5, 2021
I listen to lo-fi when I study and it was interesting to learn about how it came to be and why it is so popular. I think its cool that it is off beat on purpose and our ears do not like perfect.

Dylan Shields from: North Allegheny - posted: March 5, 2021
I think its interesting that when writing lofi music the artists often prefer a lower bitrate to make their music more raspy. I also think its interesting how lofi has been combined with anime.

Raef Smalley from: North Allegheny - posted: March 7, 2021
Lofi hip-hop is a type of music I rarely play. But, when I play it is when I'm studying and it is just sound for the background that you don't really notice and it calms you down while working.

Luke Hartle from: North Allegheny - posted: March 15, 2021
I enjoy Lo-Fi hip-hop a lot. I reacently have been interested in it because my family does not listen to it. I find it very enjoyable when I am studing or doing homework.

Vaishnavee Sundararaman from: North Allegheny - posted: March 24, 2021
I honestly enjoy listening Lofi music because the way the tunes are made are kinda very weird and cool at the same time. It was very interesting to know the behond the scenes of how lofi is actually made. It's a type of music where I can have it in the background, enjoy it, and still do my school work with it.

Olivia Belcher from: North Allegheny - posted: March 24, 2021
I personally find lo-fi difficult to study with, but it's really interesting to find out why people find it helpful for that, whether it's its purposeful off beat nature or it's unique brand of sound.

Kassi Barry from: North Allegheny - posted: March 25, 2021
Lo-fi is actually not something I have every listened to until know. I have really started loving it when driving or reading. It really lets me focus, almost keeping me focused on what I am doing.

Hunter Badamo from: North Allegheny - posted: March 26, 2021
I listen to lo-fi all the time because it is easy to relax/study to. I also find it interesting with music is detuned, which a lot of lo-fi is

Nicholas Palermo from: North Allegheny - posted: March 26, 2021
The method to the madness behind lo-fi music is really interesting. What stood out to be the most was that lo-fi music is perposfully made imperfect to give a sense of human mistakes. I don't perosonally listen to lo fi music.

Rohan Puri from: North Allegheny - posted: March 27, 2021
As I write this comment, I am listening to my Lo-Fi playlist. I find lo-fi to be one of the most enjoyable genres to relax or study to, and I couldn't do it with any other type of music.

Kate Patterson from: North Allegheny - posted: March 28, 2021
I think the aspect of not quantizing drums is very interesting. It is something you don't hear in other genres of music that makes lofi stand out a bit more.

Bri Cobbey from: North Allegheny - posted: March 28, 2021
Lo-fi is such a unique style of music, which I think is why its a bit difficult for me to study to. It distracts me way too easily because of how different it sounds from other types of music.

Julia Maletta from: North Allegheny - posted: March 28, 2021
I personally don't listen to Lo-Fi but I find it very relaxing due to the ambient chords. It allows your mind to drift off.

Erik Bloomquist from: North Allegheny - posted: March 29, 2021
It's quite ironic that when humans have the potential to make music perfectly in tune and in time for the first time ever, we choose to use technology to detune it and make it out of time intentionally. I love listenting to lo-fi, but it is quite interesting that it is intentionally made not perfect.

Josi Pietrzyk from: - posted: March 29, 2021
I love lo-fi. It can really change a vibe and feels chill. 10/10 would recommend.

Eric schaefer from: North Allegheny - posted: March 29, 2021
I enjoy lo-fi music, it is very relaxing to listen to. It was interesting to hear about how it is made.

Nick Faber from: North Allegheny - posted: March 29, 2021
I only recently started listening to lo-fi, but I thoroughly enjoy the peacefulness that comes from a good lo-fi album. The plodding, constant nature of the music is just calming.

Cassandra Pultorak from: North Allegheny - posted: March 30, 2021
I love lo-fi and I definitely need to start listening to it more. I love that humans don't rely on picture perfect technology for music. Even listening to electronically generated run throughs of our show in indoor, it's no where near as exciting and almost loses it's musicality because it is done so "perfectly".

Rae Dwyer from: North Allegheny - posted: March 30, 2021
Low-fi is one of my favorite types of music because it sounds so different and similar at the same time. I can find the sounds I like and can either study with it, read with it, or even sleep.

Ethan Chen from: North Allegheny - posted: March 30, 2021
One lo-fi hip hop artist I enjoy is Nujabes. I enjoy "Aruarian Dance" and the samples from Sinatra and Lateef in his other music.

Clay Sheleheda from: North Allegheny - posted: March 30, 2021
I really enjoy Lo-Fi Hip Hop. The song Battlecry is a great song by Nujabes and it was the opening theme of one of my favorite shows, Samurai Champloo.

Amy Hendricks from: North Allegheny - posted: March 30, 2021
I love any kind of noise in my ears when I study and I think I might try listening to lo-fi now! It sounds like its a great option and I think that its really cool that so many people have adopted it for such unique purpose.

Nick Brar from: North Allegheny - posted: March 30, 2021
Lo-fi music is perfect for studying. It's simplicity allows my brain to focus on the task at hand, while still being stimulated by some kind of music.

Grace Elliott from: North Allegheny - posted: March 30, 2021
I think Lo-fi is very creative and relaxing. It has a great vibe that many can enjoy, and helps me focus while doing work.

Hyunjun Chang from: North Allegheny - posted: March 31, 2021
I feel like this is a very good explanation of lo-fi, I personally don't listen to it often but I feel that its wide appeal lies within its soft transparent and low-key ness of the sound that comforts people when tired.

Nick Lev from: North Allegheny - posted: March 31, 2021
I really enjoy listeneing to lo-fi music. I think the rhythms and the simplistic sounds make it really calming and enjoyable.

Nathan Lam from: North Allegheny - posted: March 31, 2021
I listen to lo-fi all the time and I like how it doesn't fall victim to the idea of "perfect" music. It has so many imperfections which makes it so relaxing to listen to