In today’s episode of Everyday Explained, we’re looking at a strangely familiar experience: getting a song stuck in your head. You may hear a catchy tune once and suddenly find yourself replaying the same chorus while working, travelling or even trying to sleep. But why does the brain do this? Why do some songs get stuck more easily than others? And is there a way to make the music stop? (Also read: Everyday explained: Why do your fingers wrinkle in water? )
What exactly is an ‘earworm’?
An earworm is a short piece of music that plays repeatedly in your mind without you intentionally recalling it. The scientific term is involuntary musical imagery (INMI). According to the Cleveland Clinic, it is usually not an entire song but a catchy hook, chorus or memorable lyric that gets mentally replayed.
The phenomenon is remarkably common. According to Harvard psychiatrist David Silbersweig, some surveys suggest that around 90 percent of people experience earworms, with about a third finding them annoying. So if the same line from a song has been looping in your head all morning, you are certainly not alone.
Research also shows just how widespread INMI is. A 2014 study published in PLOS ONE, which examined 1,046 reports of people’s responses to involuntary musical imagery, found that most episodes were neutral or pleasant, although some people found them distracting or distressing.
Why do certain songs get stuck in your head?
Some songs seem almost designed to become earworms. According to Silbersweig, musical characteristics such as repetition, longer-held notes and smaller intervals between notes can make a tune more likely to stick. Songs that carry an emotional charge or are associated with a particular memory can also return to your mind more easily.
{{/usCountry}}Some songs seem almost designed to become earworms. According to Silbersweig, musical characteristics such as repetition, longer-held notes and smaller intervals between notes can make a tune more likely to stick. Songs that carry an emotional charge or are associated with a particular memory can also return to your mind more easily.
{{/usCountry}}Research has similarly found that musical features can influence which songs become earworms. A 2017 study by music psychologists, discussed by Harvard Health, found that songs that were more likely to get stuck tended to have characteristics such as a faster tempo and distinctive melodic contours that made them easier to sing and recognise.
But it isn't always about the song itself. Emotion and memory can also turn a tune into an earworm. A song associated with a person, holiday, relationship, childhood memory or a particular phase of your life may suddenly pop into your head when something reminds you of that experience. Cleveland Clinic psychologist Kia-Rai Prewitt also explains that these associations can act as triggers for earworms.
There may be an evolutionary explanation for our strong musical memory, too. Silbersweig points out that music and rhyme were used in many cultures before the written word to help people remember and pass down oral histories. Our brains may therefore be particularly good at holding on to musical patterns and snippets.
What happens in your brain when a song keeps playing?
An earworm involves several brain systems associated with music, memory, attention and emotion. Research using functional MRI has found involvement of the auditory cortex in the temporal lobe, which helps process music, as well as areas such as the hippocampus that play an important role in memory.
Another piece of the puzzle is the phonological loop, a system that temporarily holds and mentally rehearses sounds and words. This may help explain why a short musical fragment can continue to run through your mind even after the actual music has stopped.
Emotion also matters. Brain regions involved in emotional salience and reward can interact with music and memory, which may explain why certain songs can trigger a feeling or memory almost instantly. As Silbersweig puts it, our brains evolved to remember these musical associations and snippets.
How can you get a song out of your head?
If an earworm becomes annoying, distraction may help. Doing something that requires your attention, having a conversation, solving a puzzle, reading or focusing on another task, can give your brain something else to process. Silbersweig recommends redirecting attention and also suggests that some people may benefit from a more mindful approach of allowing the tune to play without focusing heavily on it.
Another option is to listen to the entire song, rather than allowing only one section to keep repeating. Cleveland Clinic recommends completing the song, switching to another piece of music or refocusing your attention through another activity.
Interestingly, research has also explored whether chewing gum can help. A 2015 study published in the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology found that chewing gum reduced both voluntary and involuntary musical thoughts in experiments, suggesting that interfering with the brain’s articulatory processes may affect musical imagery.
A 2014 PLOS ONE study also found that seeking out the song and using musical or verbal distraction were among the most commonly reported and effective strategies for dealing with unwanted INMI.
So, the next time the same chorus refuses to leave your head, don't worry — you're experiencing a surprisingly common interaction between music, memory, attention and emotion. That irritating musical loop may simply be your brain doing what it does exceptionally well: recognising patterns, connecting them with experiences and replaying them in your mind.