Most music that students listen to has around 140 beats per minute. This particular rhythm interferes with the process of memory creation. If you listen to this type of music while studying, even though you are convinced it is not affecting you, it will take 3-4 times longer to learn the information. The only music that helps is much slower, a regular 60 beats per minute, no words or lyrics, which is mostly baroque (classical) music, this actually speeds up the process of memory creation. So ideally baroque music playing softly in the background would be ideal... but perhaps a compromise? If you are doing easy stuff, have the music on, it will make you feel relaxed etc, but whenever you are studying for a test or doing something difficult, switch the music off as otherwise it will take longer to learn and your prformance will drop when you get in the exam.