At some point or another, you’ve probably had a few songs stuck in your head. We’re sure you know the feeling and have hummed the song throughout the day. You might even unconsciously tap your fingers to the beat. Have you ever wondered why this happens? People usually blame them on earworms. Let us find out more about it.
Why songs get stuck in your head?
No, earworms are not worms that crawl. So, they don’t lay eggs in your ear or brain. However, they are parasitic in some sense. Earworms are a cognitive itch that makes your brain want to fill in the gaps of a song’s rhythm and complete it. The phenomenon has also been called melodymania and repetunitis. A study by Dr. James Kellaris, a marketing professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Business Administration shows that almost 99 percent of people have fallen prey to earworms! The study also shows that musicians, women, neurotic, stressed or tired people are most common to catch an earworm.
When you listen to a song, it triggers the auditory cortex region in your brain. It can last anywhere between few days and even months together. There are several theories behind why they occur. Some studies say that songs we try to suppress get stuck in our heads. Few experts suggest that they are a way to keep our brains busy when it is idle. Moreover, a 2021 study from the Journal of Experimental Psychology claims that songs that get stuck in our heads help in strengthening memories of events where they were played or are associated with. It even points to the fact that music can help patients with dementia and trigger events, memories, or day-to-day activities.
Why do only some songs get stuck in our heads?
It’s unknown why only some songs get stuck in our heads. Research shows that there is no standard for creating an earworm. It is mainly because different people have different reactions to various tunes. “I compiled a top 10 list of earworms in the US, but the number one item is simply the category ‘other’ – which means that any tune is prone to become an earworm. It’s highly Idiosyncratic,” said Kellaris. After all, earworms are highly individualistic and unique.
How do you get rid of earworms?
Earworms can rarely be removed by replacement techniques. This is because we end up searching our brain for a replacement tune but, come out of one earworm just to get into another! Then, how can you get rid of one?
Most people swear by completion strategies. Listening to the song completely, sometimes repeatedly can provide a sense of fulfillment. However, this only works if you manage to remember what the song is called. Some people swear to get rid of them by sharing the song with others or even removing it from their brain in imagination.
Anyways, don’t fret a lot. Earworms are fairly common. Even Mozart was a victim. He is said to have rushed to his piano and finish the tune when his kids would sing a tune halfway.