[21player]

I like all genres...from classical to death metal but now I'm looking for a perfect 'poker playing music' (low level background music).
I can say that Metallica is no good...50s Miles Davis is pretty good (laid back instrumental music).
What type of music do you prefer during your home games?

[TheMightyJim2k]

I thought you meant while I was playing online. when I'm playing online I prefer rap (Mos Def, Common, Jay-Z, Tribe, Kanye, Gangstarr, Talib Kweli etc) with the occasional appearance by some punk type stuff, Dave Matthews Band, or Sublime.

If I'm hosting I prefer to keep it light with DMB, Sublime, Blues Traveler, etc.

[machinelf]

I've found that live Medeski Martin & Wood works well for our group. But that's the thing--depends on the group.

[7thSeat]

I like to listen to Children of Bodum, Lamb of god and stuff like that when I play on line. The most important though is that the music has a constant flow so I block myself from my daily life thoughts.
I tried reagge, rap, blues, hard rock, classical, progresive and some other styles but they all tend to disturbe me when they shift gears.

It might sound funny but the melodic kind of death metal has a very calming efect on me. I stay in fokus and do not tilt very easy.
I do pretty much never listen to it when not playing poker though.

[JCTC]

I have to stay away from angry music when I play. Thrash, some rap, etc. when the music is angry it makes me tense, and I cant muster much patience.

[punk1o1]

For me its just my Mp3 player on random or any new Cd I have

[ipgyst]

Sammy Hagar is good poker music. Feed your opponents Sammy and some Cabo Wabo tequila and watch the chips roll in!

[SnowDog73]

It depends on the crowd. I tend to prefer stereotypically "guy" music, because for me poker nights is always a guys' night (very rarely co-ed games). So break out the Johnny Cash and the 70s rock. I prefer the music to be classic, timeless, instead of current. I don't know why.

Whenever I play with my college buddies, though, it always ends up 80s music, because, well, we're in our 30s and look back fondly on those days.

Either way, I can't think of a poker night I've been at where U2 wasn't on the playlist at some point. Dunno why.

[booyah D]

what I've tried recently is playing an all blues station. IMO, it's awesome background music, but every now and then they'll play a very popular song ("Sweet Home Chicago" or "Look at Little Sister"), and you get the whole room noticing. I have had good feedback from it also. I've told everyone that I'd play whatever the majority wanted, and each time since we've played the blues station.

[AlbinoDragon]

When I play live, I don't take anything with me to listen to. I find I play better. It's almost like the music is a distraction.

Online, just whatever I happen to feel like at the time that is on my iTunes list. A lot of soundtracks right now and of course the requisite Calexico and Neko Case.

At the home game, I'll either fire up a playlist of the Rat Pack and other lounge-y music (to fit with my chip design/theme). I've found a few of the "stations" on Soma FM (SomaFM: Commercial-Free, Independent Internet Radio) are really good too (Secret Agent, Illinois Street Lounge and Groove Salad). I listen to those at work as well. Hopefully things work out in Washington to keep the web broadcasters around.