What Makes A Song An Earworm And How To Get Rid Of It

What's your earworm song?

What makes an “earworm” . . . you know, one of those songs you just can’t get out of your head once you hear or even THINK about it?

 

In a recent article from NBCNewYork.com, the American Psychological Association says these songs are, quote, “usually faster, with a fairly generic and easy-to-remember melody but with some particular intervals, such as leaps or repetitions that set them apart from the average pop song.”

 

They also identified nine songs that are most commonly cited as earworms.  And LADY GAGA is responsible for three of them.  They are:

 

1.  “Bad Romance”,  Lady Gaga

2.  “Can’t Get You Out of My Head”,  Kylie Minogue  (Too obvious???)

3.  “Don’t Stop Believing”,  Journey

4.  “Somebody That I Used to Know”,  Gotye

5.  “Moves Like Jagger”,  Maroon 5

6.  “California Gurls”,  Katy Perry

7.  “Bohemian Rhapsody”,  Queen

8.  “Alejandro”,  Lady Gaga

9.  “Poker Face”,  Lady Gaga

 

So how do you get a song OUT of your head?  

 

The APA lists three methods:  Listen to it all the way through . . . listen to another song to distract yourself . . . or just FORCE YOURSELF to stop thinking about it.