I use music as background noise. Something that's enough to fill in the silence to allow me to work on whatever art project or book or bit of writing that I'm immersed in at any given moment. I can't work in silence, there has to be some kind of white noise or tune or something there, some small distraction or I can't concentrate.
Rarely is a song so good, so hauntingly invasive that I actually just sit back and listen to it and allow my brain to shut down, no plans, or thoughts running through my head, just the music. Even when I get interested in a new artist it's rarely enough to keep my attention on them completely without hearing a song through more than one time. Very short attention span I know, but I'ma child of my generation that way.
This being said, Listen to the Frou Frou song "Psychobabble" if you ever get the chance. Weird ass music, disjointed lyrics, not popular, but every time I hear it I just want to close my eyes, sit back and listen.