BRAIN DUMP
Why do I get songs stuck in my head?
SCIENCE
Veronika Noble
■ ‘Earworm’ songs seem to get stuck in a certain area of your brain responsible for music memory. The types of songs that become earworms are personal, but there are some common factors. They tend to be faster songs, with common structures and beats. You’ve probably heard the earworm recently, or have heard it a lot. An earworm can apparently only be stopped by activating the same music memory part of the brain. Reading, thinking about words or pictures, physical activity and talking don’t stop it. To stop an earworm, try listening to a song you don’t find catchy. AE