It’s no secret that computer nerds often have strong musical skills… which is odd given that music is processed by the human brain’s right hemisphere, while math/logic are processed in the left hemisphere*. This fact is also hard to explain as many of us geeks have awkward social/language skills (a right-hemisphere responsibility).

* So says Dr. Chudler at the University of Washington.

For example, there’s me (Art). I played guitar in a garage band back in high school. I majored in Music at Loyola University Chicago, studying classical guitar. I also minored in Computer Science, and I work as a professional software developer. Beyond my highly coordinated fingers (from typing and plucking strings), I don’t know if I see an immediate correlation between the two areas… but I’m not a neurologist, so I won’t even pretend to offer an explanation as to why I’m good at both. I wouldn’t say that I’m necessarily awkward with my social or language skills, but I would say that I’m a terrible salesperson. Make your own conclusion.

Furthermore, almost every developer I’ve met has a similar story. And in addition to playing some kind of musical instrument, we all seem to be very productive while listening to music.

I have found that a good song puts me into a focused groove – like something just clicks inside my brain and the code writes itself. Complicated concepts unwind into simple solutions as if I can suddenly think in multiple dimensions.

In other words, I start working like I’m f*cking Mozart. Only on a computer. And waaayyy less famous.

The caveat, of course, is that a song isn’t long enough to maintain productivity like this. An hour (give or take) is ideal to generate some solid code, so finding an entire album (with no crappy songs) is almost priceless.

After giving this topic a good deal of thought, I’ve come up with the ten albums which I enjoy the most while writing code. The list is in no particular order:

Strung Out on Kid A (Tallywood String Quartet)

Kid A is probably my favorite Radiohead album. One of the coolest things about Strung Out on Kid A is hearing the different keyboard and guitar layers played by a string quartet. There’s also a bunch of different albums to choose from! If you like classical music, buy one – you won’t be disappointed. Swordfish (Soundtrack)

Oddly enough, I’m not really a fan of trance/techno music. And I’ve never seen this movie. But this CD rocks. Paul Oakenfold does some really, really cool stuff. Dark Side of the Moon (Pink Floyd)

Dark Side of the Moon is obviously one of the classic Pink Floyd albums. Smooth, a bit jazzy, and each track melts into the next. Simply brilliant. I will say that this isn’t my favorite Pink Floyd Album (I would pick Animals every day of the week), but you can’t lose with this CD. Three Snakes, One Charm (Black Crowes)

I’m a big Black Crowes fan, but I might be alone in saying that this is my favorite album. It’s less produced than Shake Your Money Maker, but cleaner than Amorica. If you’re into pure Rock-N-Roll, this album is hard to beat. Legend (Bob Marley)

The best thing about Reggae music is that it forces you to be in a good mood. It’s scientifically proven. Legend may be a best-of album, but let’s be honest… it’s the single greatest Reggae album there will ever be. The Fragile (Nine Inch Nails)

As a double CD, The Fragile is a fantastic album to play while writing code as you get more than 100 minutes of pure awesome. The Fragile is by far my favorite NIN album… a fact that few NIN fans seem to agree with. The thing I love most about this CD: I hear a new layer or instrument every time I listen to it. This is War (30 Seconds to Mars)

I got this CD for Christmas this year and I love it. Say what you want to about Jared Leto (I liked him in Requiem for a Dream), I definitely suggest you give this album a shot. It’s a solid set of songs that get you pumped up – and nothing helps you write code more some adrenaline. (Actually, not true. Caffeine does a pretty nice job…) Across a Wire: Live in New York City (Counting Crows)

This is actually the only Counting Crows album I own – but it’s a fantastic CD. It’s a live performance that starts with a few of the band members playing acoustic instruments, but progressively adds electric guitars, drums and other instruments. Check it out. Unplugged (Alice in Chains)

You can’t go wrong with any of the MTV Unplugged albums (Nirvana, Eric Clapton, etc). Alice in Chains gives the listener a totally different spin on their music, and it’s very cool to hear Layne Staley’s voice over the acoustic guitars. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (The Smashing Pumpkins)

This was a tough call for me, because I could have chosen any Pumpkins album to put on this list. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness is a double CD with a ton of variation; the instruments, tempo and dynamics change constantly, but it’s fascinating to hear how all the songs work together.

This list is far from complete – but I’m sure many of you will disagree with my selections.

EDIT: Honorable Mentions

It has been six years since I originally wrote this post, and I just have to add a few more to the list:

Your Thoughts

What are your thoughts? What albums would be on your own list?

Please drop me a line and let me know!