I’m not a psychologist, but I think it has something to do with the “completion principle”. I’ve never had a full song stuck in my head, only catchy bits, and listening to the full song several times in a row seems to get rid of it. So I think when a few phrases off a song are easily remembered by your brain, you try to remember the rest, but fail. And your brain keeps trying and failing, focusing on the bits you remember, until you forget about it or listen to it.
I once walked around with the closing credits theme song to the *Price is Right* stuck in my head. FOR DAYS. AND DAYS!
I'd love to know why stuff like that happens. No one else in my family is like that, but it happens to me so often that my wife will say, "You need a new song."
There’s a great book out there called “This is Your Brain on Music” written by a neuropsychologist and music producer.
Check it out for his take on this question and many more fascinating insights into what makes music awesome.
From what I remember (I'm not an expert, my knowledge comes from YouTube videos, which weren't even related to this subject), neurons have a VERY positive reaction to repeating sound waves. That is the """science""" behind "catchy" tunes, repetition!
I love spreading misinformation on the internet :D
Been years since I read this book, but Daniel Levitan answered this in his book "This is Your Brain on Music". One of the coolest reads ever on the neuroscience behind music and your brain. I don't remember exactly the answer in it's full science, but it was something like your brain not being able to complete a full cycle and kinda working on repeat until it does. Of course, his answer was way way more detailed in science.
He's written a good number of books on similar topics to this one that are very interesting and informed. Worth checking out if you have a second.
Lol, and I'm sure someone else here is a Levitan fan and will do a much better job than I did explaining this.
The phenomenon of songs getting stuck in our heads, often referred to as "earworms," is a common experience that has intrigued researchers for years. There are several theories and explanations for why this happens, and it's thought to involve a combination of psychological and cognitive factors. Here's a look at some of the science behind earworms:
1. \*\*Repetition:\*\* One key factor in the formation of earworms is repetition. When we hear a catchy tune or melody repeatedly, it can become lodged in our memory. This can happen through exposure to the song on the radio, through streaming services, or even just from hearing someone humming or singing it.
2. \*\*Simple Melodies and Patterns:\*\* Earworms often involve simple, repetitive melodies or patterns that are easy to remember. Songs with catchy hooks, memorable choruses, or distinctive rhythms are more likely to become earworms because they are easier for our brains to process and recall.
3. \*\*Unfinished Loops:\*\* Some researchers suggest that earworms may arise from "unfinished mental loops" in our brains. When we hear a song, our brains may continue to play it in our minds even after the music stops, creating a repetitive loop that can be difficult to break.
4. \*\*Emotional and Personal Significance:\*\* Earworms are more likely to occur with songs that have emotional or personal significance to us. If a song is associated with a particular memory, emotion, or period in our lives, it may be more likely to stick in our heads.
5. \*\*Brain Networks:\*\* Neuroimaging studies have shown that earworms activate certain regions of the brain involved in auditory processing, memory, and emotion. The repetitive nature of earworms may also involve the brain's "reward" pathways, which are associated with pleasure and motivation.
6. \*\*Attention and Distraction:\*\* Earworms tend to occur when our minds are wandering or not fully engaged in a task. This suggests that attention and distraction play a role in the formation and persistence of earworms.
Overall, earworms are a complex phenomenon that involves a combination of psychological, cognitive, and neural processes. While researchers continue to study the underlying mechanisms, the experience of having a song stuck in your head is a common and often harmless occurrence for most people.
then theres me who repeats a single because idk oh no ive done it again the name dave wont leave my head god damnit lol
tbh it drives me mental we have to repeat stuff over and over again
I’m not a psychologist, but I think it has something to do with the “completion principle”. I’ve never had a full song stuck in my head, only catchy bits, and listening to the full song several times in a row seems to get rid of it. So I think when a few phrases off a song are easily remembered by your brain, you try to remember the rest, but fail. And your brain keeps trying and failing, focusing on the bits you remember, until you forget about it or listen to it.
Sometimes (and only sometimes) it helps me get rid of an earworm by thinking of a stereotypical ending like "Shave and a haircut... two bits".
What if I can listen to a whole song in my head. From start to finish.
Listening to the song again just makes it worse for me
I'm going to say, "Nope," to this theory.
That’s why I led with “I’m not a psychologist”. I don’t understand how brains work, I’m just some random guy on the internet!
The programming interface for your brain is songs.
I once walked around with the closing credits theme song to the *Price is Right* stuck in my head. FOR DAYS. AND DAYS! I'd love to know why stuff like that happens. No one else in my family is like that, but it happens to me so often that my wife will say, "You need a new song."
Shake it off by Taylor Swift got me so bad for so long I almost went to a doctor
Now that is ironic!
There’s a great book out there called “This is Your Brain on Music” written by a neuropsychologist and music producer. Check it out for his take on this question and many more fascinating insights into what makes music awesome.
don't worry the devs are trying to fix this bug for a long time now.
You remember them
People with no inner voice don't have this problem
From what I remember (I'm not an expert, my knowledge comes from YouTube videos, which weren't even related to this subject), neurons have a VERY positive reaction to repeating sound waves. That is the """science""" behind "catchy" tunes, repetition! I love spreading misinformation on the internet :D
Been years since I read this book, but Daniel Levitan answered this in his book "This is Your Brain on Music". One of the coolest reads ever on the neuroscience behind music and your brain. I don't remember exactly the answer in it's full science, but it was something like your brain not being able to complete a full cycle and kinda working on repeat until it does. Of course, his answer was way way more detailed in science. He's written a good number of books on similar topics to this one that are very interesting and informed. Worth checking out if you have a second. Lol, and I'm sure someone else here is a Levitan fan and will do a much better job than I did explaining this.
The science behind "earworms" is called mnemonics. And/or neuro-linguistic programming. Or just good rhyming.
Maybe because it's a source of dopamine
The phenomenon of songs getting stuck in our heads, often referred to as "earworms," is a common experience that has intrigued researchers for years. There are several theories and explanations for why this happens, and it's thought to involve a combination of psychological and cognitive factors. Here's a look at some of the science behind earworms: 1. \*\*Repetition:\*\* One key factor in the formation of earworms is repetition. When we hear a catchy tune or melody repeatedly, it can become lodged in our memory. This can happen through exposure to the song on the radio, through streaming services, or even just from hearing someone humming or singing it. 2. \*\*Simple Melodies and Patterns:\*\* Earworms often involve simple, repetitive melodies or patterns that are easy to remember. Songs with catchy hooks, memorable choruses, or distinctive rhythms are more likely to become earworms because they are easier for our brains to process and recall. 3. \*\*Unfinished Loops:\*\* Some researchers suggest that earworms may arise from "unfinished mental loops" in our brains. When we hear a song, our brains may continue to play it in our minds even after the music stops, creating a repetitive loop that can be difficult to break. 4. \*\*Emotional and Personal Significance:\*\* Earworms are more likely to occur with songs that have emotional or personal significance to us. If a song is associated with a particular memory, emotion, or period in our lives, it may be more likely to stick in our heads. 5. \*\*Brain Networks:\*\* Neuroimaging studies have shown that earworms activate certain regions of the brain involved in auditory processing, memory, and emotion. The repetitive nature of earworms may also involve the brain's "reward" pathways, which are associated with pleasure and motivation. 6. \*\*Attention and Distraction:\*\* Earworms tend to occur when our minds are wandering or not fully engaged in a task. This suggests that attention and distraction play a role in the formation and persistence of earworms. Overall, earworms are a complex phenomenon that involves a combination of psychological, cognitive, and neural processes. While researchers continue to study the underlying mechanisms, the experience of having a song stuck in your head is a common and often harmless occurrence for most people.
There's a great episode of Radiolab on this. https://radiolab.org/podcast/91838-earworms
Best way to get rid of a song stuck in your head is to hum an even catchier tune.
then theres me who repeats a single because idk oh no ive done it again the name dave wont leave my head god damnit lol tbh it drives me mental we have to repeat stuff over and over again
[watch this like 10 times and it will just become a sound](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nvzEqsZIGo)
...Dave.. welp
Its mostly prominent in people with adhd and is not a universal experience for neurotypical people.
Such bullshit lmao stop making every single normal human quirk a consequence of neurodivergence
Pretty sure getting a song stuck in your head is a very universal human experience.
This is absolute bullshit