Been there, done that:
http://www.chess.com/forum/view/off-topic/music-the-m-list
Do you listen to music while playing chess
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Wasn't here in 2008. Maybe there's some music to add.
Thrash Metal... Megadeth etc.. Though I don't recommend this against really good players.
Yes, you can definitely get distracted.
When I play Megadeth and play live chess. I tend to make more aggressive moves resulting in early mate for my opponent, but on occasion it results in early mate for me. If I put it at a lower volume, I do fine though.
Dvorak, Smetana, Josef Suk, Janacek (you know, "Check" composers 
)
I do listen, sometimes though...
Mar 11, 2010
0
#9
Some people even listen to headphones at OTB tournaments. I have no idea how they focus.
I think music without lyrics works ok.
jlueke wrote:
Some people even listen to headphones at OTB tournaments. I have no idea how they focus.
Does uscf allow this ? FIDE does not.
When I play on Internet I mostly listen to music, when I play real tournaments and games I play without music, then I'm much more concentrated.
Mar 11, 2010
0
#13
Reb wrote:
jlueke wrote:
Some people even listen to headphones at OTB tournaments. I have no idea how they focus.
Does uscf allow this ? FIDE does not.
I don't know about USCF but I see players at every tournament here, so the directors allow it. Maybe if someone complained they'd make them stop. I played one person with headphones in each of the last two tournaments
Mar 11, 2010
0
#14
Sigmoid_Flexure wrote:
Dvorak, Smetana, Josef Suk, Janacek (you know, "Check" composers )
lol.
Yes when I'm playing. But I can't listen to music when doing tactics trainer or Chess Mentor. I've tried.
I prefer silence while playing chess, but I like listening to music before a tournament!
Watching TV with either tv programs or a movie.
Some have mentioned that lyrics are distracting. I agree. I enjoy listening to instrumental music while playing chess, especially instrumental GUITAR music 
.
Silence is the norm in smaller club events with serious players. I personally never was bothered with the quirks of my opponents and I have pretty much seen it all in 40+ years of playing. I do like to listen to music and now ipods and such are a great leap in tech to the old days ;-)
Sigmoid_Flexure wrote:
Dvorak, Smetana, Josef Suk, Janacek (you know, "Check" composers )
(LOL - good one!)
Hey! Has anyone started a group here called, "The Check Republic" yet?
In college I played in the campus game room. The juke box would be blaring Hotel California or something like that. The thing is both me and my opponent were equally distracted by the music so it was fair in a certain way. I tend to be able to shut out most distractions. However, if I have a choice for playing chess it is quiet.
Do you listen to music while playing chess or studying? What do you like to listen to? I used to listen to Wagner or Mozart while studying chess. I like rock and roll but found it distracting.
Lately, I've fallen into the habit of playing and studying on my laptop in front of the television. This is good because I'm with my wife; its bad because I'm not concentrating to the extent that I should.