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It has been
called ‘stuck
song syndrome’,
a ‘cognitive
itch’ and even,
‘sticky music’.
However, the most common name for
this phenomenon is an ‘earworm’ and
if it sounds like an experience that you
are all too familiar with, it’s probably
because earworms actually affect a
whopping 90% of the population.
So you’re probably wondering,
how does this irritating cognitive
itch occur? What makes these
‘earworms’ so catchy? And most
importantly, why the heck can’t you
get these songs out of your head?
Luckily for us, there’s actually
a bunch of science which explains
this oh-so-familiar frustration.
Recently, scientists have been
trying to learn more about this strange
phenomenon we call ‘earworms’. A
study on earworms was conducted
at London University between 2010
and 2013, and scientists found that
earworms are usually songs with a faster
tempo, and a relatively generic and
easily memorized melody. However,
despite their simplicity, these songs still
contain ‘unusual’ or unique interval
patterns (changes in pitch), which
make the song memorable and distinct
enough to stick out in your mind.
90%
of people
experience
this phenomenon
Think of the popular nursery
rhyme, Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
or Maroon 5’s Moves like Jagger, as
both these songs have been identified as
displaying ‘earworm-like’ characteristics,
because of their catchy tune.
But a catchy tune isn’t the only reason
these pesky earworms get stuck in our
heads. With visual information, our
brains need to process and interpret the
information before we derive meaning.
Sound and music, on the other hand,
have a significantly more powerful
effect on our brain because sounds
get their meaning immediately—
no processing required!
Also, if you think about it, there’s
no such thing as shutting your ears.
People can simply ignore or avoid visual
messaging even if it’s just by shutting
their eyes. ‘Tuning out’ music on the
other hand, is a much more difficult feat
to accomplish. Despite our very best
efforts, our subconscious still registers
the sound, which is why we might find
ourselves singing a song that we don’t
remember ever having heard before.
We can go even further down the
earworm hole, because there is actually
scientific evidence that supports the
idea that earworms possibly keep the
receptors in our brain in good working
order. No, seriously. Our movement,
attention, planning and memory are all
stimulated when the receptors in our
brain receive auditory signals. So the
next time Lady Gaga’s Bad Romance
is stuck on repeat in your head or
someone mentions the word “umbrella”
and you subconsciously begin to sing
“ella-ella-ella” and it’s driving you
crazy, don’t complain! Instead smile,
because it means that the receptors
in your brain are in tip-top shape!
In fact, some people have actually
found ‘earworms’ to be quite useful!
These people, i.e. marketers and brand
specialists, have used earworms to
develop those super catchy jingles that
we love so much. Since sounds, especially
when organised into music, have the
ability to trigger memories, oftentimes
sounds are used to reinforce a brand’s
visual identity. This also has a cool name
(go figure) and it’s called sonic branding!
So the next time you are just trying
to go about your day and find yourself
plagued by a song on repeat in your head,
at least now you have a name for it!
Tips for getting
rid of earworms:
Scratch the itch!
That’s right, sometimes all your earworm
wants is a little attention, so the most
common way to get an earworm out your
head is simply to listen to the song!
Chew some gum!
Since moving your mouth uses the same
parts of your brain that are used to recall
short-term memories, chewing gum has been
found to affect our powers of recall and reduce
the number of involuntary musical thoughts.
Wondering what an actual
earworm sounds like?Check
out five of the most popular
earworms, according
to CNN.
Bad Romance,
Lady Gaga
Can’t Get You Out
Of My Head,
Kylie Minogue
Don’t Stop Believin’,
Journey
Somebody That I Used
To Know, Gotye
Moves Like Jagger,
Maroon 5