As the spring semester approaches, it’s time for college students to prepare for the never-ending hours of studying. Studying can be a bore, but with the right playlist, it can be a breeze. So without further ado, here are my top five favorite Lo-fi artists that are perfect to listen to during your next cram session.

5. Widow

Widow is an anime Lo-fi artist that has been releasing singles inspired by anime characters since 2020. Their tracks do have more of a hip-hop inspiration to them, as well as more creativity with tones and effects. The upbeat tempo of the tracks is perfect if you’re trying to get in some studying before your day begins.

My recommended tracks are:

• “Gon & Killua”, which features heartbreaking audio from Hunter x Hunter
• “Fushiguro Megumi”, which is a mellow track that includes quiet audio clips from Jujutsu Kaisen

Listen on Spotify.

4. Kurochuu.

Kurochuu. is a Lo-fi artist who began releasing singles in 2021. While they don’t have as extensive of a discography as other artists on this list, they’ve put out some amazing tracks. They’ve done Lo-fi covers of well-known anime openings and scores, and the small features of audio clips from various episodes add emotion to the singles. Kurochuu. was my go-to artist if I was working on an assignment that required a lot of reading. 

My recommended tracks are:

• “Sadness and Sorrow”, which Naruto fans know as one of the most heartbreaking songs in the anime
• “Spark Again”, a cover of an opening from Fire Force

Listen on Spotify.

3. Ajotabeats

Ajotabeats released their first EP in 2019 and has since released Lo-fi music inspired by everything from anime to nature sounds and summer vacation vibes. The music has a slow and relaxing sound to it, which is perfect for those stressful nights when you’re trying to complete all your assignments at the last minute. 

My recommended tracks are: 

• “My Hero Academia / No. 1 but it’s Lo-fi”, as the title suggests comes from My Hero Academia
• “Heroes (From “My Hero Academia”)”, this track was created in collaboration with fellow Lo-fi artist Kurochuu.

Listen on Spotify.

2. Kijugo

Kijugo began releasing music in 2021, with singles covering all of our favorite anime. Most of the tracks are Lo-fi versions of anime openings, but what is refreshing about this artist is that while there are many versions of the same openings that exist, these particular tracks have a completely different feel. 

My recommended tracks are: 

• “Samidare but is it okay if it’s Lo-fi?”, inspired by the song from Naruto
• “Gurenge but is it okay if it’s Lo-fi?”, which is a play on an opening track from Demon Slayer

Listen on Spotify.

1. Kato

Kato has been releasing music since 2019, and their 34 album discography includes a huge assortment of fandom-related music; from Studio Ghibli and a wide range of anime to even video game-inspired Lo-fi tracks. Thanks to Kato’s massive selection of music, it’s easy to put their entire discography on shuffle and get lost for hours in studying. 

My recommended tracks from them are:

• “Loneliness”, a Lo-fi version of the iconic song from Naruto: Shippuden
• “Again”, a Lo-fi version of one of the openings from Full Metal Alchemist

Listen on Spotify.

Now it’s time for you to curate the perfect playlist for your study sessions, going beyond your limits with the power of Lo-fi and anime on your side. Happy studying!