Jonny Music Suggestions

"Background Music":

Because of the potentially broad scope of the phrase "background music",  I included a bunch of random things that I just leave on in the background every once in a while. However, I can assure you that there is enough diversity in this list for you to find something that is background-y.
(All of the names are links if you want to listen)

Electronic and Ambient:
Helios - Unleft
Fennesz - AUN  
Janes Scenic Drive* - Suns from Some Other Life
The American Dollar - Atlas (Other stuff on the bandcamp site too)
Scattle* - Scrapped EP (I played "Radiation" in the car)
Lets Drive to Alaska - Lucky or Indigo Children
El Huervo - To Stop You Must Die
Gidge* - For Seoul
I Am Robot And Proud - Uphill City (Actually, all of the albums if you can. They're awesome)
Jim Guthrie - Sword & Sworcery LP
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Hammock - Departure Songs
Lullatone - Soundtrack for Everyday Adventures
Ulrich Schnauss - Far Away Trains Passing By
Mount Kimbie - Maybes
A New Normal - Taize (Very Nice)

Some post rock here (you can't really go wrong with these. They're also free downloads):
The End of the Ocean* - In Excelsis
The End of the Ocean* - Pacific.Atlantic
Our Last Hope Lost Hope* - Our Last Hope Lost Hope
The Album Leaf - One Day I'll Be On Time (Only linked to the first song; you can search this on spotify)
Ólafur Arnalds - Living Room Songs (Good Background Stuff)

Guitar stuff:
Trace Bundy - Adapt

Piano stuff:
Alexandra Streliski - PIANOSCOPE
Svilen Angelov* - Transparent Invention

Other:
Cloudkicker* - Fade
Logan Rutledge* - Shun

Folk:
Jim Guthrie* - Now More Than Ever (Free) (This is folky, the other album is electronic)
Benjamin Francis Leftwich - Last Smoke Before the Snowstorm
Regen Kam - Fingers (Yes)

*free