Playing to the rhythm
Now more than ever, music is recognized as being a part of our daily lives. From the moment in which radios start their morning broadcast, until the last tune we hear before going to bed, music is all around us. The increasing accessibility to music through online audio streaming has made it possible for us to listen to our favorite tunes from anywhere around the globe without having to carry our cassette or vinyl collections with us. The fact that the music industry has been slowly moving to the online world is now allowing us to have a huge collection of albums and tracks without owning even one compact disk. As it can be seen in the infographic below, the idea of physical records is slowly being forgotten.
It is no longer a mystery that music has certain influences on our mood, productivity, creativity and our general state of mind. The ways in which it can affect our brain are as numerous as they are varied, with one of the most important aspects being productivity. The boost that it gives us can be applied in almost all aspects of our lives, from focusing at work to helping us relax at home. Having this many benefits, it’s easy to see why music and poker are such good matches for so many people. Whether it’s from a desire to focus harder on your strategy or it just makes for a great soundtrack to a poker night out, both beginners and professionals prefer having some tunes in the background. Furthermore, it’s not only the players who can benefit from the power of music; the game itself is gaining popularity thanks to artists mentioning it in their hits.
Can’t read her Poker Face!
When it comes to songs featuring the game of poker, Lady Gaga’s Grammy Award-winning hit, Poker Face, has to be the most renowned. With over half a billion views on Youtube, this song from 2008 has contributed immensely to the positive image of both online and live poker players all over the world. The main idea of the song is about successfully bluffing, as the artist is portrayed in the video winning hand after hand in a game of strip poker. Having a “poker face” means to not show any signs of emotion that could give the opponents a hint on what cards you might be holding in your hand. Even though in the video she appears to be wearing just a few clothing items, she proves once again that she can be comfortable in any situation. The video also serves as proof that Lady Gaga is no stranger to extravagance and is always in touch with her weird side.
Rocking both on stage and at the game tables
The fact that poker has attracted some stars from the music industry to the table is no secret, some of them being actually recognized as good competitors! One crazy story is that of Scott Ian, guitarist and founding member of the legendary heavy metal band – Anthrax. It all started at the VH1 Classic Rock’n’Roll Celebrity Poker Tournament from 2006, where he defeated all of his opponents, in spite of the fact that they had a lot more experience than him. After that, he got some lessons and tips from top players such as Phil Hellmuth and Annie Duke, leading him to his first cash in at the World Series of Poker main event, three years later. His results proved that he is truly a force to be reckoned with, both at live and online poker events.
Not everyone’s dancing to the same beat
The link between our performances in different activities and the music that’s playing in the background has been researched for decades and there is even a niche that specifically studies it, called neuromusicology. Although it varies from person to person, certain areas of the brain are stimulated by different types of music, influencing our emotions, creativity, focus and energy. While some find it easier to focus on a task or activity while blocking out all the sounds around them, studies have shown that most people experience an increase in productivity when there’s background noise. Whether this noise is represented by music or simply a loop of sounds recorded from nature, it seems to help us achieve better results.
When it comes to the game of poker, blues is the genre that would best recreate that feeling of spending the evening in a luxury casino from the past. But that doesn’t mean it’s the go-to choice for either event organizers or players, modern hits usually being the common picks and ultimately, personal preference is what matters most. Some of the top ranked players are usually seen wearing headphones during competitions and their music choices can be as different as their personalities. For example, the man with the record for the most WSOP bracelets won, Phil Hellmuth, is a great fan of rock music from the ’80s and ’90s and is often seen following the rhythm of it with his foot during games. A calmer, more relaxing approach to keeping focused while competing is that of world renowned pro player Daniel Negreanu, who is more inclined to have nature sounds in his headphones during competitions.
Whether the intention is to keep their focus, to avoid giving hints about their hand or simply to fight the boredom, one thing that is clear is that music has and will continue to have a strong connection with poker.
