Activities: Working/Studying (without lyrics)

Hypnotic breaks and pensive soundscapes from today's greatest electronica artists: the perfect soundtrack for reading, working, or just relaxing.

Not too cool, not too hot. Not too square, not too out. Delve into jazz's classic era at the office, at tempos that won't put you to sleep or get you too wound up to work.

Funky and atmospheric instrumental works from the masters of trip hop, one of the hippest underground movements to emerge in the '90s.

Hailing from the worlds of folk, rock, country, blues, and beyond, these acoustic guitar instrumentals are organic enough to keep from jarring your focus, but they've got enough forward motion to motivate your mind.

IDM may have originally stood for Intelligent Dance Music, but it doesn't have to live on the dance floor. This cerebral electronica also makes the perfect soundtrack for studying, reading, or simply relaxing.

Whether you're studying for finals, organizing your desk, or filling out expense reports, these classical pieces provide the perfect musical accompaniment to help you get the job done. Now get to work!

Have a listen to the sonic diversity of dance music's most popular new subgenre -- from the early pioneers on Hyperdub Records to some of today's higher energy offerings -- with no annoying vocals to distract you from your studies.

Tired? Angry? Need some peace of mind? Put down whatever you're doing and enjoy some relaxing and inspiring musical moments at a nice slow tempo.

Explore the current state of forward-looking electronic music, from minimal techno to electro-acoustic sound experiments.

The solo piano piece is music at its most contemplative. Enjoy these works from the classical, romantic and modern eras in any setting that calls for the quiet intimacy of the pianist and his or her instrument.

Developed by John Fahey and artists on his Takoma Records label, this finger-picking style of guitar playing combines country and blues techniques with neo-classical composition.

A selection of jazz tunes by bandleader/bassist/composer Charles Mingus and the many accomplished musicians that performed with him.

A look at the minimalist approach to composing music, with works ranging from modern classical to japanese new age.

Franz Liszt was the superstar of the romantic period and his performances caused "Lisztomania" across Europe. His pyrotechnic virtuosity made him the sexiest composer alive and his works teased the senses with his devilish touch. Dare to indulge yourself.

Idyllic electronic sounds that evoke expansive rural vistas, from evocative Teutonic rock (Neu!, Cluster, Brian Eno) to deep listening drone (Fennesz, Oneohtrix Point Never, Emeralds).

An introduction to classical music, featuring the best recordings of some of the most important works.

Beginning during World War II, bebop signaled the end of the big band swing era and the birth of modern jazz. Enjoy this introduction to the style, focusing on the post-war era when bebop was in its prime

This playlist is comprised of songs from the most notable ballets, as well as movements and waltzes used in classical numbers by ballet companies all over the world.

Starting in the late 1940s, a new, more cerebral and mellower response to bebop became one of the dominant strains in jazz. Enjoy the birth, maturation and continuation of cool jazz, with an emphasis on ballads.

Here are the most epic scores in modern cinema. Filled with sweeping string sections and thunderous percussion, this is the perfect playlist for saving the world, preparing for battle, or staring up in awe at something miraculous.

During the late 1950s and early '60s, John Coltrane and many of his peers searched for a sound beyond bebop. This cool post-bop set, with saxophones aplenty, balances adventurousness and melody.

An introduction to classical solo piano music, featuring the best recordings of the most important works.

In the '70s and '80s, pioneering artists from the worlds of jazz, classical, rock, and electronic music fashioned ethereal sonic landscapes ideal for a fostering a meditative state. Decompress with these essential cuts from ambient's early trailblazers.

Developed in the 1980s, Math rock is a guitar-based genre influenced by progressive and experimental rock known for using odd time signatures, interlocking rhythms and complex arrangements.

Get to know the music of the best known child prodigy and classical rock star in history, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

An offshoot of hard bop that flourished in the '60s and early '70s, soul jazz fed on the bluesy passion of R&B. Most associated with hard-driving organ trios and honking, bluesy horns, it's jazz with groove, grit and soul.

This one's all about the ivories, featuring the classic piano-led jazz trios and quartets of the 1950s and '60s, from post-bop to the birth of the modern era.

A sophisticated, earthy soundtrack of classical music inspired by autumn. Listen closely and you'll hear leaves changing color.

With their penchant for twang and aversion to lyrics, these 1950s and '60s acts -- some fleeting, some lasting -- all reveled in the rock instrumental.

Atmospheric and ambient, this is the sound of hip hop producers left to their own devices. Without any vocal assists from rappers, the results are innovative, expressive, and sometimes more than a little trippy.

For a period in the late '50s and early '60s, Blue Note was the most stylish label in jazz. The music brought both soul and a questing sense of experimentation to bebop, and Reid Miles' gorgeous LP designs remain influential to this day.

A full orchestra is not always needed for classical music; in fact, more music has been written for intimate spaces than grand concert halls. Explore the chamber music of the great composers.

From the sumptuous '50s through the swinging '60s to the funky, sexy '70s, European soundtrack composers were at the cutting edge of film music. Explore this sometimes campy, often beautiful musical world, where the music was often better than the movies.

A collection of the greatest Western movies scores, from Hollywood's Golden Age to the Spaghetti Westerns of the '60s, and even some from modern-day classics.

There is nothing quite like the seductive sonority of a finely played cello. Every composer has tried to win her affection through the centuries; here are the mellow classics that make her the great lady of the orchestra.

Bring together 10 fingers, one guitar, and a head full of jazz, and a whole world will spring into view right before your very ears. Listen to these solo-guitar performances by some of the finest fretmasters ever to sling a jazz axe.

One of the oldest instruments still in common use, the classical guitar first found its home in Spain. The Spanish guitar is the voice of an entire musical world, and to this day is still a distinctive sound in rhythm and character.

Classical music isn't all adagios and waltzes; often classical pieces have arrestingly fast movements. Quicken your heart rate with these brisk and energetic operas, symphonies, ballets and overtures.

Delve into the quiet, ballad-oriented side of Miles Davis, along with a wide selection of the contemplative moods of members of his classic 1950s and '60s bands. Get mellow with Miles.