zlacker

Not the OP, but I think you might be onto something.

I'm not a huge music-theory guy or anything, but it's virtually impossible for me to "tune out" music; I think I subconsciously like to dissect it a bit.

However, if someone were to put on virtually any sporting event on the TV (without announcers and assuming you didn't have a bunch of people cheering or anything like that), it would have almost no affect on me, since I don't really care at all about sports.

>>tomber+(OP)
Oh yeah, you know how people put on music to relax and go to sleep (with the music set on a timer)? It doesn't work, it keeps me awake.. I analyze every detail, think about how they made a certain sound or how something is placed in the mix...

That said, at the same time I pretty much have to listen to music while working, otherwise my brain is like 1/2 as functional. No clue why.