On the forum I hear a lot about how they can only listen to a band when they are in a 'certain mood'. I agree somewhat, but I think it's the other way around: I listen to music to change my mood. e.g. When I want to go to sleep, I listen to some Doom Metal to really make me sleepy. When I've listened to some Sonata Arctica ballads and feel like I'm lacking in badass, I chuck on some Manowar.

So the question I pose to you is this: Do you:

1. Listen to music to complement your mood
2. Listen to music to change the mood you're in
3. You can listen to anything you like at any time

I'm in categories 1 and 2, because of the above reason and also because, though I like it, I just can't listen to Sodom until I've built up my aggression with music like Manowar and Cryonic Temple.

I'd say a combination of 1 & 3 but, mostly 1. Well it isn't my mood, more like my surroundings. If it is snowing outside, there is a better chance of me putting on some black metal, etc etc. While if it is a summer day, I'd probably put on some death or thrash metal, something more upbeat.

1 and 3. I like to listen to Grief when I'm coming down from a drug binge, or disembowelment as I'm about to start a drug binge haha.

No but really, most music I like is music I can enjoy when in any mood. Can't rally give a reasoning for it, but I can listen to all my favorite bands while super happy (picking flowers and listening to Khanate haha) or while I'm super pissed.

I do indeed listen to music depending on the mood i'm in, because sometimes when what i'm listening to contradicts my mood, it just sounds like shit no matter who the band is. This only happens if i'm REALLY sad or REALLY happy, if i'm feeling indifferent then I can listen to anything.

If i'm in a rather bad mood, i'll throw on some Katatonia to complement it. Happy? Probably some power or folk metal. Going to sleep? Burzum, Agalloch, Ulver, Alcest, you get the idea.

Also Sunn o))) and Xasthur both make great studying music.

I totally agree. Any depressive or atmospheric black/doom is great for school. When I'm in class and I don't want to get distracted or noisy while I'm working, I put my iPod on to Xasthur, Sunn O))), Nocturnal Depression or Nokturnal Mortum. The music always puts me in such a strange translike state, I don't want to talk to anyone or have any contact with anyone, I'm just silent and working for the whole period. Sometimes I'm still quiet and weird hours after, too.

To sleep, i listen more to Pop Rock bands like Chicago or Toto, The Beatles.
But to change my mood... not much, if i'm happy, i put some Hard Rock and Heavy bands.
Gothic in the night, maybe some Industrial too
And for a bad mood, Thrash and Death fit perfectly, but that only puts me more angry

1 and 2 for me. Typically number 1, generally 2 if I'm trying to get out of a depressive cycle.

it depends really. usually the mood dictates the music. for example: when i lived in the north and having to drive home in a snow storm 2 in the morning maybe id listen to dark ambient black metal. if it was 4 in the afternoon it would prob. be immortal.
brutal death metal in general is "wanting to beat someone down" music.
my music range spreads alot farther than metal so it all depends. jazz one night to sleep to classic rock (rush,elp, ufo, ect..) the next night or whatever.

Doom metal is not something I listen to if I feel sleepy. Lethargic maybe but nothing to invoke more of a feeling I don't have. I just listen to Black Sabbath or Vitus if I feel like hearing old school/classic metal. I'm mostly an epic metal type of listener. Some doom provides that but yeah I just like something that gets me into a historical and ponderous mood.