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The developer soundtrack: How music impacts code and career
Developers rely on more than just their tools and frameworks to get a job done. Many turn to music as a way to stay focused, creative, and motivated during their workday.
To explore the connection between music and developer performance, Liquid Web surveyed 1,000 coders about their listening habits, salaries, and professional advancements.
Key findings
- Kendrick Lamar, Linkin Park, and The Weeknd top the list of artists coders like to listen to while they work.
- The genres coders most often listen to while working are rock (42%), rap/hip-hop (37%), and pop (37%), with another 21% tuning into EDM.
- Coders who listen to music on the job are nearly twice as likely to have been promoted in the past year and 28% more likely to have gotten a raise.
- Those who listen to metal while coding are the most likely to report a raise (60%), while K-pop fans are the most likely to report a promotion (37%).
- 56% of coders listening to EDM at work got a pay bump, and 23% landed a promotion in the past year.
- Country (88%) and rock (85%) fans have the highest work-life satisfaction among coders.
Music and coding: What devs listen to while they work
Developers often create personalized soundtracks that match their work styles and mental energy. The genres they choose reflect how they stay engaged with tasks and manage long stretches of concentration.
When hard at work, the coders we surveyed said they most often listen to rock (42%), rap/hip-hop (37%), and pop (37%) music. EDM also had strong appeal, with 21% choosing it as their favorite genre to code to.
The most popular artists overall were Kendrick Lamar, Linkin Park, and The Weeknd. Coders ranked the top 3 artists by genre as follows:
- Country: Jelly Roll, Morgan Wallen, Luke Combs
- EDM: Avicii, David Guetta, Skrillex
- Metal: Metallica, Slipknot, Deftones
- Pop: The Weeknd, Bruno Mars, Rihanna
- Rap/hip-hop: Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Tyler, The Creator
- Rock: Linkin Park, Nirvana, Pink Floyd
More than one-third of developers said they always listen to music while coding.
Why devs code to music
Music helps coders manage more than just background noise. Our survey respondents shared how it plays a role in mindset, task switching, and motivation throughout the workday.
Developers said they most often listen to music while coding to help them focus (61%). Many also use it to get “into the zone” (60%) or to block out background noise (56%).
If they could not listen to music while coding, 15% said they would be significantly less productive. An even larger group, 38%, noted that they would feel less motivated without it.
Metal fans were especially enthusiastic about using music as a coding tool. A quarter of developers in this group said they regularly “vibe code,” using AI tools to turn plain language into code by describing what they want instead of writing it manually.
The link between music and career success
Listening to music while working appears to influence more than short-term performance. Based on our survey results, it also correlates with long-term outcomes like promotions and raises.
Developers who listened to music while coding were nearly twice as likely as those who didn’t to receive a promotion in the past year. They were also 28% more likely to have gotten a raise.
The survey measured raises and promotions as separate events, so some respondents may have received one, both, or neither.
K-pop fans topped the promotion list (37%), followed by rap/hip-hop listeners (33%), while metal (60%) and rock (58%) fans reported the highest rates of raises. Metal and rock listeners also had the highest productivity levels, at 77% and 74%, respectively.
Classical listeners had the highest average annual earnings, at $81,401. Rock fans came in a close second at $78,985, and country fans ranked third at $75,730. Country (88%) and rock (85%) fans also reported the highest rates of work-life satisfaction among coders. Coders who listened to metal made an average of $73,761.
While their salary was on the lower end, EDM listeners also saw improvements. More than half (56%) recently had their salary increased, and 23% had been promoted in the last 12 months.
“The data shows strong links between music preferences and career advancement — a surprising but inspiring correlation that highlights the power of personalization in productivity.”
Ryan MacDonald
Chief Technology Officer at Liquid Web
Conclusion: Soundtracks that drive success
When developers are deep in code – hunting bugs, building features, or collaborating with teammates – music becomes their secret weapon for staying focused and motivated.
According to our findings, the right soundtrack can boost productivity and lead to better career outcomes.
In a field where focus and creativity are crucial, that perfect playlist might be the edge coders need to excel at work.
“The right soundtrack can create a workspace that fuels deep work. Whether it’s a personalized playlist or AI-driven tools that complement your coding style, integrating music into your routine isn’t just a vibe, it’s a productivity strategy.”
Ryan MacDonald
Chief Technology Officer at Liquid Web
Fair use statement
This content is based on proprietary research conducted by Liquid Web and is shared here under fair use for educational and informational purposes. If you reference any part of this article, please provide proper attribution with a link back to the study so your readers can see the findings in their entirety.
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<a href="https:www.liquidweb.com/white-papers/music-and-coding-study" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Liquid Web study on developer music and productivity.</a>
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