Music for 18 Musicians by Steve Reich
Shares rank 5 of 10 albums by recommenders
People recommend it as an immersive background for focus and long programming sessions, with a steady, abstract sound that helps them flow. No criticism was recorded.
People recommend it as an immersive background for focus and long programming sessions, with a steady, abstract sound that helps them flow. No criticism was recorded.
5 people gave an opinion
- recommend it
- 5
- criticize it
- 0
- approval share
- 100%
Recommended in 2 of 13 months
- November 2025: not recommended
- December 2025: recommended
- January 2026: not recommended
- February 2026: not recommended
- March 2026: not recommended
- April 2026: recommended
- May 2026: not recommended
- June 2026: not recommended
- July 2026: not recommended
- August 2026: not recommended
- September 2026: not recommended
- October 2026: not recommended
- November 2026: not recommended (month in progress)
Why it doesn’t carry the badge
- 5 people recommend itNeeds 10 or more, not met.
- Nobody criticizes itNeeds 2 to 1 or better, met.
- Recommended in 2 of 13 monthsNeeds 4 or more, not met.
The same three rules apply to every product, and the badge can’t be bought. How the badge works
What people say about it
The reasons people give, with the number of comments that give each one. Open a reason to read what they said.
Why people recommend it
Each mark is one comment
Aids focus and programming flow
“transports me in an abstract world that let's me flow away and program for hours without noticing”
Comment from 3 Dec 2025 in “Music for Programming();” “such a wonderful companion for sustained focus”
Comment from 7 Apr 2026 in “Music for Programming” Fits focus-oriented playlists
“Electric counterpoint and Music for 18 Musicians are regulars in the line up.”
Comment from 6 Apr 2026 in “Music for Programming” “Music for 18 Musicians is indeed very well suited”
Comment from 26 Apr 2026 in “Steve Reich reshaped the boundaries of musical time (2025)”
Other albums people recommend
The four most recommended other albums, with the same counts for each, so you can compare like for like. The tick on each bar marks the 2 to 1 line the badge needs.
| Product | Recommend | Criticize | Approval | Months | Owned | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ambient 1: Music for Airports by Brian Eno | 10 | 1 | 91% | 1 | — | — |
| In Rainbows by Radiohead | 7 | 0 | 100% | 1 | — | — |
| OK Computer by Radiohead | 6 | 0 | 100% | 3 | — | — |
| Doom soundtrack by Bobby Prince | 6 | 0 | 100% | 2 | — | — |
| Music for 18 Musicians by Steve ReichThis page | 5 | 0 | 100% | 2 | — | — |
What people said
6 of the 7 comments that mention it, newest first. Each links to the original comment.
“Music for 18 Musicians is indeed very well suited”
“such a wonderful companion for sustained focus”
“Electric counterpoint and Music for 18 Musicians are regulars in the line up.”
“sometimes has a similar effect as Reich's 18 Musicians IMHO”
“such a trip - good for driving too”
“transports me in an abstract world that let's me flow away and program for hours without noticing”
Counts come from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026. How we count. Report a mistake.