There are two types of working people: those who prefer peace and quiet and those who need music to stay productive. I’m the latter and recently, I’ve started to appreciate lyrics-free music courtesy of lo-fi streams on YouTube.
According to Dazed, these calming tunes originated in Tumblr in the early 2000s and later made their way to YouTube. When livestreaming was made more accessible to YouTube users in 2013, 24-hour radio streams started popping up and the lo-fi music streams that many people now love were born.
On Feb. 22, the popular 24/7 stream “lo-fi hip hop radio – beats to relax/study to” was briefly suspended (for the third time) on YouTube after its moderator ChilledCow received a copyright takedown request. The video platform said in a statement that it was taken down by mistake and that ChilledCow didn’t violate any rules. While it was down, subscribers saw that the stream has been going on for over 13,000 hours, making it one of the longest videos on YouTube.
Happy to see @ChilledCow's lofi hip hop radio stream got reinstated, but I think by taking the account down – however briefly – YouTube may have inadvertently created the longest video on the platform.
That is a 13,165 hour, 23 minute, 44 second long stream VOD 😂 pic.twitter.com/LsMBoQodPV— Pixlriffs 🎮 (@Pixlriffs) February 22, 2020
The stream went back up the next day, Feb. 23, and thousands of people have it on loop once again. If you’re wondering how lo-fi streams can increase productivity, Bustle notes that some notes in music can drown out other distracting noises and help the brain concentrate on certain tasks. Of course, not everyone can work like this, but music does help some people relax and do things more efficiently.
If you’re looking for similar lo-fi streams or playlists that you can play anytime, here are our recommendations.
While working at a coffee shop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgVs8mkgHSU
Similar to ChilledCow’s 24/7 stream, “coffee shop radio” is perfect background music while working. This reminds us of the playlists at our go-to cafés whenever we work at home.
While doing your makeup and skincare
Beauty vlogger and Em Cosmetics founder Michelle Phan has a 24/7 lo-fi radio called “Magic Hour.” It features a mix of chill non-lyrical beats and K-pop songs made by independent artists. This is best played while you’re getting ready for the day or while doing your nightly skincare routine.
When you’re trying to relax after work
ChilledCow’s other stream is titled “beats to sleep/chill to,” which is for people who need to unwind after a long day. You can also keep this streaming when you’re having difficulty sleeping at night.
While having a romantic dinner at home
If you’re someone who worries about what to play while having dinner with your significant other at home, you can just put this romantic lo-fi stream on. (You can also play this even when you don’t have a date. Who doesn’t love chill music at anytime of the day, right?)
Photo courtesy of Pexels
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