"Who Let the Dogs Out?" blasts through the radio and listeners always become excited. We love these hits that play on repeat through our brains. However, about a day later of singing these tunes to ourselves, and we find that we are not so in love anymore.
Many people become victims of earworms everyday. An earworm is the portion of a song that gets stuck on repeat in our head. Professor James Kellaris from the University of Cincinnati College of Business Administration conducted an extensive study on earworms.
"A cognitive itch is a kind of metaphor that explains how these songs get stuck in our head," Kellaris says. "The only way to scratch a cognitive itch is to repeat the offending melody in our minds."
Some of these offending melodies are songs we know all too well:
1. Other. Everyone has his or her worst earworm.
In my case, it was "Hey, Soul Sister." Last year, my brother became really obsessed with this song and it played constantly in our car. Every member of my family was caught singing it at one point or another. What makes this song an earworm is its repetitive chorus and upbeat sounding music.
2. Chili's "Baby Back Ribs" Jingle
One we all recognize, this one planted itself in our minds because of the repetition of the chorus, "Baby back, baby back, baby back ribs." This jingle does not stand alone. The freecreditreport.com guy wormed his way into our hearts...and minds playing several songs that I still find myself singing a year after I first heard him.
3. "Who Let the Dogs Out"
Although I never deciphered all of the words, this song blasted at every roller skating party I ever went to as a child. It's so upbeat it's difficult not to find yourself singing it days later after hearing it. It is even featured on the first Just Dance game for Wii.
4. "We Will Rock You"
There is no denying this song is an earworm. Because of the constant "stomp-stomp-clap" that can be heard in the stands at pretty much any sporting event you attend, it is impossible not to find yourself singing along.
5. Kit-Kat Candy-Bar Jingle
"Gimme a Break" from this song! The Kit-Kat candy-bar jingle has been varied in so many ways now. No matter what though, the chorus finds its way consistently into my head.
The important thing to know is that you are not alone in your struggles with earworms. It's something that almost all of us experience. My personal advice would be to be aware of how much you are listening to a song and try to expose yourself to music you really enjoy, that way you can experience a pleasant earworm.
I feel as though by reading this post, I have simultaneously allowed all five of these to be stuck in my head at one time, playing on repeat like a broken record. Thank you, so much.
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