Welcome to ambient september. Ambient September is a celebration created in 2022 by my former roomate and I, where for the first month we fully lived together during out sophomore year of college, we would only be allowed to listen to ambient music. If you are reading this as of today (september 13 2025), clearly the celebration has already begun, but you could still participate. Here are the rules of Ambient September:
- For the entire month of september, you are only allowed to listen to ambient music. That being said, there are a few exceptions:
You hear it in a public space
You attend a live concert
You Sing/Play non-ambient music
- Alongside the music, we all choose a book to read, and the goal is to finish the book by the end of September. historically, these books are modernist, but as long as it feels like it fits within the ambient discipline, it could be chosen. This year we are reading Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon. The first year, we read Ulysses by James Joyce.
- Each year, it is expected that you give something up for the duration of the month. In years past, I have chosen something relatively inconsequential (the first year we gave up elevators, the third year I gave up iconographic clothing) but what you choose is up to you. This year I gave up Youtube and Reddit, because I wanted to cut down on my distractions. The most popular thing to give up is short form video.
- If you do not feel committed, or find out about the challenge late, you can always participate in the Ten Day Celebration. The Ten Day Celebration works in the same way, but it begins at midnight on September 21st, the autumnal equinox.
If you have any questions, feel free to get in contact with me. If you like ambient music, you will enjoy the challenge. If you want to dip your toes in, maybe just listen to more ambient than you usually would. my love of ambient began my junior year of high school, when I would do "ambient mondays". I would drive to school and engage in a new week with a new ambient album. Happy Listening!
