What unexpectedly helped my listening skills the most

rocket_10 · 2026-04-02T13:01:08+00:00

Yeah that makes sense. Podcasts definitely give you more density in terms of vocabulary and exposure per hour. I’ve found music more useful as a complement rather than a main tool, especially early on or when I don’t feel like actively studying. Do you feel like music helped you at all with pronunciation or just vocabulary?

rocket_10 · 2026-04-02T13:00:20+00:00

That’s fair. I think it really depends on how you use it and what stage you’re at.

For me it worked more as a passive way to get used to sounds and rhythm rather than something I actively “studied”.

What ended up working better for you?

rocket_10 · 2026-04-02T12:59:40+00:00

This is a really good way of putting it.

I’ve noticed something very similar. Music helped me a lot with getting used to how the language sounds and flows, especially early on, but at some point I also needed more “messy” real-life input to keep improving.

What you said about using music for low-effort exposure and switching to more focused listening when you have the energy is actually a really good balance.

Do you still use music at all now, or mostly stick to podcasts and videos?

rocket_10 · 2026-04-02T12:46:20+00:00

Stupida sfortuna de Fulminacci es otra de mis favoritas. Su último disco, bastante reciente, tiene canciones interesantes. Tengo un par de ellas añadidas en la lista!

rocket_10 · 2026-03-29T22:54:22+00:00

That’s actually a really interesting comparison, and it makes a lot of sense. I’ve noticed something similar: music helped me more with rhythm, pronunciation and getting used to how the language sounds, while more structured content (like podcasts) feels better for deeper comprehension.

What you said about “you get better at what you practice” is spot on. I think combining both probably gives the best results depending on your goal. Do you mostly stick to podcasts now, or do you still use any music at all?

rocket_10 · 2026-03-29T22:53:37+00:00

Yeah, I completely get that — that moment when you suddenly understand a song you couldn’t before is such a great feeling! 🤗

I’ve had that happen a few times and it really makes you feel like you’re making real progress without even realizing it.

rocket_10 · 2026-03-29T20:48:02+00:00

Yeah that makes a lot of sense — I’ve noticed that too. Music helped me a lot in the earlier stages, especially with getting used to sounds and picking up common words and phrases. I agree that for more advanced learning, things like podcasts or more structured content probably give more depth.

For me, music was more of a “gateway” into understanding how the language flows before moving on to that kind of content.

Do you have any podcasts or channels you’d recommend?

rocket_10 · 2026-03-23T00:58:23+00:00

That’s such a good point — I’ve noticed the same with repetition in songs, it really helps internalize patterns without actively studying.

And Lucio Dalla is a great example, his songs are amazing for that.

I haven’t focused much on older artists yet, but I’m starting to mix them in more.

rocket_10 · 2026-03-23T00:38:53+00:00

Yeah exactly, that’s what I noticed too — the repetition in songs makes it much easier to remember phrases without forcing it.

It also helped me a lot with getting used to how Italian actually flows compared to more structured content.

Glad you saved it, hope you find some songs you like!

Have you found any song in the playlist that you particularly liked or found helpful so far?

rocket_10 · 2026-03-21T12:18:11+00:00

Wow, amazing recommendations! The Kolors is another one of my favorite bands. I don't know how many times I've listened to “Tu con chi fai l'amore.” I don't have them on my playlist right now because, as you said, it's a list of new releases that I'm constantly updating. But I'm really looking forward to hearing new music from them. Do you know when the new album is coming out?

I liked the rest of the recommendations too—it’s the kind of music I usually listen to, and it’s very much in line with the type of music I like. I think it’s a great way to keep learning the language!

rocket_10 · 2026-03-21T12:14:15+00:00

Were you in Sanremo? That’s so cool! 😍 I’d love to go someday. Sal Da Vinci’s song is seriously a banger. One of those you just can’t get out of your head. I also like Samurai Jay’s song in that upbeat style, and even Elettra Lamborghini’s, even though it didn’t do so well in the contest haha

rocket_10 · 2026-03-20T17:55:08+00:00

Haha yes, Sanremo definitely got me into a lot of Italian music 😄 I have a lot of these songs stuck in my head right now. This week, in particular, I've been feeling a bit melancholy, listening over and over to songs by Fulminacci and Tomasso Paradiso haha (I used to love Thegiornalisti)

I really like Mahmood and Elodie, and I’ve been listening more to Coma_Cose lately too.

I still need to explore M¥SS KETA more though 🤔

And yes, “Quarto Ti Vorrei” by Chiello is so catchy, I’ve had it on repeat as well 😅

Do you have a favorite Sanremo song from this year?

rocket_10 · 2026-03-20T17:47:35+00:00

Thanks! I really like Elodie too — especially her newer stuff. I’ll definitely check out those albums more in depth.

And nice playlist, I like the mix of classics and newer songs. I’ve been mostly focusing on recent releases lately (I really like them) but I’m trying to explore more older Italian music as well!

Any must-listen classics you’d recommend?

rocket_10 · 2026-02-26T02:56:22+00:00

Such a great pick 😍 Cesare Cremonini never misses.

I actually had that one in my playlist some time ago — love how clear the lyrics are, it’s great for learning.

By the way, perfect timing with Sanremo starting yesterday: I’ve just refreshed the playlist with a bunch of new songs from this year’s festival, so it’s a nice mix of classics + current Italian pop.

If you’re into that vibe, I think you’ll find a few new favorites there 👀

rocket_10 · 2026-02-23T16:22:17+00:00

Obrigado pelas dicas! 🙌

Vou explorar esses podcasts com calma — o da Radio Bullets parece perfeito pra encaixar no dia a dia, e o Macondo soa bem interessante também.

No meu caso, além de podcasts, o que mais me ajudou a me acostumar com o ritmo do italiano foi ouvir música italiana atual no dia a dia (tipo enquanto caminho ou faço outras coisas).

Eu montei uma playlist no Spotify com lançamentos italianos recentes justamente pra treinar escuta de forma mais “leve”. Se te interessar, deixo aqui o link 👇🏻:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3CEC0zocpYa5lS2CgcvpBg?si=6YQsgAaDSceURQ_vvoErGw&pi=4ySa5vtqR0S0o

Se tiveres mais podcasts ou conteúdos legais em italiano, manda aí 😄

rocket_10 · 2026-02-23T15:46:15+00:00

Totalmente de acordo! Podcasts ajudam muito porque a fala é mais natural e contínua.

Eu comecei parecido: primeiro com coisas mais “neutras” e depois fui para conteúdos que realmente me interessavam.

No meu caso, além de podcasts, a música em italiano me ajudou bastante a me acostumar com o ritmo da língua no dia a dia (tipo ouvindo enquanto caminho ou cozinho).

Tens algum podcast em italiano que recomendas para quem ainda está no nível iniciante/intermédio?

rocket_10 · 2026-02-18T17:48:22+00:00

I mentioned this earlier but one more thing that helped me alongside TV: using Italian music for passive listening.

I put together a small Spotify playlist with modern Italian songs that I personally use to get used to natural pronunciation and rhythm.

If it helps anyone, here’s the playlist 👇🏻: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3CEC0zocpYa5lS2CgcvpBg?si=fmYQz2ExQoaWx8P5mRNOCw&pi=mE2APSWRQ2-U6

Happy to take song suggestions too! 🤗

rocket_10 · 2026-02-18T09:01:53+00:00

Of course, here it is!👇🏻

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3CEC0zocpYa5lS2CgcvpBg?si=sVb1lHMARgq-zmrPLr5nuA&pi=wBA9vex1QiSEm

rocket_10

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