How come the last song that sticks in your head is a brain worm? 🐛

Have you ever had a song looping in your head like a DJ stuck on repeat? According to an article from VIU University, these "brainworms" or earworms are catchy tunes that get stuck in your brain thanks to their simplicity and repetition. It's like a chorus you can't get out of your head and just want to reach for the off button to stop it. Songs like "Baby Shark," Bruno Mars' latest hit, or even the music from the last commercial you saw, stick because they have predictable rhythms and lyrics that your mind sings to itself, even when you're trying to focus on something else. Science explains it: a study from Durham University says these songs activate the auditory cortex as if you were actually listening to them, turning your brain into a music player with only the "loop" option on. So, if "Despacito" keeps playing in your head, it's not your fault; it's your mind doing internal karaoke.

Your song in your head 😄

But wait, there's more: These earworms don't just stick; they also play with your emotions and memory. The VIU article points out that catchy songs often have an emotional hook, such as joy, nostalgia, or even annoyance. The worst part is that it even makes them more irresistible. Remember that time a ballad had you singing along all day? That's because your brain loves patterns and subtle surprises, like an unexpected note change that hooks you in. Researchers like Daniel Levitin, author of This Is Your Brain on Music, say these earworms are an evolutionary trick: our brains are hardwired to repeat what intrigues us. So, the next time a chorus sticks with you, just laugh. It's your mind having its own uninvited musical party.

Reference:

• Universidad VIU. (s.f.). Qué es una canción pegajiza o “gusano cerebral”. https://www.universidadviu.com/es/actualidad/nuestros-expertos/que-es-una-cancion-pegadiza-o-gusano-cerebral

• Goldsmiths, University of London, & Durham University. (2015). Earworms: Why some tunes get stuck in our heads. Psychology of Music, 43(6), 876-889. https://doi.org/10.1177/0305735614542438

• Levitin, D. (2006). This is your brain on music: The science of a human obsession. Dutton.