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ALBANY, N.Y., Oct. 20 — Unexpected and insidious, the earworm slinks its way into the brain and refuses to leave. Symptoms vary, although high levels of annoyance and frustration are common. There are numerous potential treatments, but no cure. “Earworm” is the term coined by University of Cincinnati marketing professor James Kellaris for the usually unwelcome songs that get stuck in people’s heads.
Our brains have a tendency to remember catchy and repetitive tunes. When we hear a song repeatedly, it becomes familiar and our brains can easily recall and replay it, leading to it getting stuck in our heads.
When we hear a song that is familiar or catchy, our brains create a "memory loop" that keeps repeating the song over and over again. This is known as an "earworm" and can be triggered by hearing the song, seeing the song title or even just thinking about the song.
Yes, songs with simple and repetitive melodies or lyrics are more likely to get stuck in our heads. These songs are easy for our brains to remember and replay, making them more likely to get stuck in our heads.
One effective way to get rid of a song stuck in our head is to listen to the entire song. This can help our brains to "complete" the song and break the memory loop. Another method is to distract ourselves with another activity or song.
While it is not always possible to prevent a song from getting stuck in our heads, we can try to avoid listening to the song repeatedly or thinking about it too much. Listening to different types of music or engaging in activities that require focus and concentration can also prevent songs from getting stuck in our heads.