I listen to music at the table and it may sound corny but I mix it up depending on my mood. I'll crank some hard rock if I need to get a little nasty or mellow it out if I need to calm down from something happening. But I don't do it all the time either. You can really miss a lot by not being able to hear table chatter and so on.

I keep it fairly mellow. Like when you're driving and speed when you have a hard rock song cranked, it's the same thing to me. I play hard rock/metal and I tend to get wilder and that's not good for me. There is an effect on the mind with the tunes.

Listening to music at the table is bad idea. While it's nice, you miss too much going on. It can be a major distraction and you can't hear anything going on. If you need to listen to tunes, that's what breaks are for. Advise against it.

I think it depends what mood you WANT to be in. I think we associate music with different moods or settings (music to work out with like Rocky stuff or the song you heard when you got your heart broken). So if you think you're a little highstrung at a table, a little mellow stuff wouldn't hurt same as is if you want to get in mode of destruction, you'll play some metal. So I guess I'd say try mixing it up a little bit and see what happens.

I actually made a few playlists depending on what my mood is. But I do have an orchestral set of music - some of it is true classical and I pull a few movie soundtrack songs to mix it up. Nothing really slow though - a poker game can get dull enough!

I usually turn my music on low and crank only when I get "Chatty Cathy or War Story Joe" beside me

House

Depends on whether I need to stay awake and alert, keep winning, get off tilt, unwind, etc.

Playing a rush - Metallica, and other adrenaline music
Getting off tilt - Pink Floyd, Madonna, and other calming music
Casual day at the tables - eBooks and podcasts about business and investing

i have to say, i have a variety of mixes that depend on my mood, how things are going, cash game or tourney. I break them down into light pop, light classical ( yes, Mozart, but also Tchaikovsky, Strauss, Wagner, etc ). I love the Stones, Beatles, Moody Blues for light enjoyable tunes. I have what I call " Battle tunes',, lol, AC/DC, Aerosmith, Nirvana, Smashmouth, Poison, Metallica, GNR, etc. But keep those mostly for tourneys, . And mellow tunes that i dont really have to listen to, but just fill in the void if the table is a really quiet one mostly for cash games.
Byrds, Moody Blues, Led Zeppelin, lots of one hit wonders from 60's n 70's.

But I do have to say, i DO like my Light Classical more often than any other. you can just let them run for hours, and not really have them interfere with play. Thats just my style.
And I dont listen to anything at all a good part of the time, when table talk is loose . Hearing fav hands, or betting styles is not worth missing.. ;-)
good luck...............

Personally, I never listen to music or anything else while playing. I'm hoping to hear comments from players from the players that help me get a read on them.

However, I did hear one person tell me something I found funny. He said he always listens to comedy recordings while playing. He says it keeps a smile on his face at all times, and thus the other players have no idea how to read him.

This one is a great fallback tune if you need it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

@redwhiteandblue Not so sure about that one, redwhiteandblue.....Sometimes, it's better to give up on a hand, right? :)

I do not listen to music at the tables anymore you miss to much. I like a freindly table and guys telling me what they have folded lol.
On my drive in I listen to classical and smoke a few ciggies this always puts me in a calm and + mood.

I jam to these guys! Found 2CELLOS on YouTube. These guys are incredible and I bet they have no problem getting dates.....

Cellos? Really? Just rock it out! Creative though.

LOL - instead of cellos, how about just going with a band with electric guitars? You know, really good guitars. Like maybe Eddie Van Halen for example.... ;)

If you want to mellow out a little, maybe try starting a conversation at the table. I hate when people wear headphones at the table. It can slow down action and quite honestly it can be pretty disrespectful to other players at the table. Just sends a message you could care less about interacting or what's happening.

@tablecaptain when I have inane bad chatter in my ear, I don't think I am the one doing the disrespecting...or the guy who thinks, talks and acts like jerk the whole game. So I respectfully disagree with you there...