Why does a good or bad song get stuck in the head? 

Do you have a song that keeps ringing in your mind from time to time? Those simultaneous ‘jingle bell’ sounds? Perhaps, at one point or another, you have thought of keeping them off your mind, especially when they are bad songs. I believe you have no idea how and why they are stuck in your head. However, don’t be stuck there; here is why the songs are stuck in your head and how to keep them off. Generally, these tunes are identified as earworm songs, while Psychologists call them “involuntary musical imagery.” Approximately 90% of adults are reported to experience these involuntary musical imageries weekly, if not daily. Besides some reporting the earworm songs being pleasant, others feel them annoying and even maddening. As discovered by Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis, “Some people are beavered by earworm songs to the extent of interfering with their life.” You may have realized that these earworm songs contain some predictable characteristics. They are small snippets of music. And more so, “a song you heard recently is most likely to get stuck in your head.”

Though their attribution is often mysterious, earworm songs possess mutual characteristics. Kelly Jakubowski, a researcher, said, “Earworm songs have a faster tempo or are more upbeat, and they use more predictable melodic contours.” Laterally, their probable phrases contain an unanticipated slight alteration of pitch or tempo memorable to our brains. Besides experts learning the common traits in these songs, there has been difficulty understanding why these songs are stuck in our heads. Margulis pointed out that recorded music is a new phenomenon, with earworm songs being a mystery. The common concern is that earworm songs aid in memory. Lassi Laukkanen of HIIT hypothesizes that the spontaneous bits and pop are mnemonic and help us remember. Other researches also show that music can expand memory among those with various sclerosis. This is achieved by the mind’s ability to store and retrieve memories, as demonstrated by earworm songs. In addition, individuals with neurotic and obsessive-compulsive qualities have been discovered to experience earworm songs more recurrently, and the pieces stay longer in their heads. Hence, it’s evident that the earworm songs are helpful as it helps develop memory or determine any memory elapse. At the moment, there is not much explanation as to why we experience earworm songs, but there is an excellent way to keep them off your mind. If you find it hard to get them out of your mind, it is better to keep them off. Find something that requires your full attention. In most cases, people find it difficult to forget the earworm songs when they are idle. But when you get engaged in an activity that demands your attention, the earworm songs go away at ease. Keep your mouth active. Find something to chew. When a song is stuck in our minds, we’ll sing in line with it. Having something to chew diverts our attention from the music, and we can get them off. Lastly, confronting someone with the song relieves you from it and gives you closure. Listen to the whole music and sing it to someone; it will get out of your mind.