[kyzerjose]

I know we're all supposed to be serious and listen to every little bit of chatter yada, yada, yada. We're supposed to pay attention and not be distracted.
Yep, sure, fine.
I get distracted. I get bored. Sometimes people bug the sh*t out of me.
If I listen to music, I know my focus is off and adjust my play accordingly. Sometimes I just put the headphones on soften the general din of a large card room.
The only difference I've noticed is every now and then I lose track of the action and make some silly mistake.
If listening to music improves your overall state of mind, go for it.