When I was a young man I used to come home from work every day, put Marilyn Manson on the stereo, and read Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. That’s the last time I can remember actively listening to music while reading a book. Now a days I just read before bed, so no music.

I use an app called myNoise. It generates some sounds based on presets. The ones I use varies by the theme or genre I’m reading. For example, when I’m reading a medieval fantasy, I select Distant Prayers in Gregorian Voices.

I personally can’t. I find it too distracting, even lyricless stuff. Oddly the opposite is often okay… I can listen to an audiobook while doing something else mindless and not miss out on details. But a physical or ebook generally takes my full attention.