Getting a song stuck in my head to the point I couldn't stop humming it for days or even weeks in extreme cases, was an issue I had to deal with pretty often as a teenager. There were days I felt unbearable stress because of it and I didn't know what to do about it. I would sweat, panic and even lose sleep at times (I am kidding you NOT).

 

The fact that I was ashamed to discuss about it with family or friends, since I felt like it was so weird they would think I am crazy, stressed me out even more. I was desperately trying to find answers as to why this happened to me so often, but it wasn't an easy task. 

Growing up in Greece during the mid-90's  – way before the evolution of the Internet in this country – didn't make things any better either. So, the torture would continue for almost three years (on and off). 

Learning About It

As a first year student in Law School  back in 1999, I finally had access to the Internet. However, after making detailed research on the matter, I realized that the whole thing wasn't as simple as one might think when they ponder the matter. I had managed though to ease my mind after several stressful battles with numerous songs that I didn't even like! 

To get a better idea of what I was going through, think of the following song playing in your head again and again for weeks. What a TORTURE, huh? 

Science Has An Explanation 

Apparently,  this is not as uncommon as I thought as a teenager. It pretty much happens to everyone, whether we notice it or not. 

There have been many studies and detailed researches done throughout the years on this topic but the conclusions and opinions vary greatly. One of the many people who tried to study and find concrete answers to the mystery behind this phenomenon is Dr. Vicky Williamson of Goldsmiths, University of London.

Dr. Williamson’s impetus to do this study came from personal experience as well; upon seeing a shoebox with the word Faith written on it, she recalled the title track of George Michael’s solo album from the late 1980s. The familiar melody of the song was stuck in her head for a whole afternoon until she decided to hide the box.

Through the website earwormery.com, Dr. Williamson urged the public to describe similar experiences to the one she had gone through. In partnership with the radio station BBC6 Music, she therefore decided to investigate what was behind the melodic mystery. She named the study the "Earworm Project."

Is the Earworm Effect Real? 

The word earworm was introduced into the American vocabulary by Professor James Kellaris from the University of Cincinnati, one of the first scientists researching in-depth on the subject. Earworm is the translation of the German Ohrwurm and the term describes the experience of having a certain tune stuck in your head. According to the Earworm Project, we get to learn valuable information about the phenomenon and how it works:

Often a person experiencing an earworm has no idea why a tune has popped into their head and has little control over how long it continues. A recent poll suggested over 90% of the population experience them at least once a week, so it seems like having the odd earworm is perfectly normal. But 15% of people classified their earworms as “disturbing” and in a different study one-third of the people described their earworms as unpleasant. This means that although earworms are essentially harmless they can get in the way of what you are trying to do and can stop you from thinking straight.

Several individuals who took part in the project explained that they usually remember a certain song or part of a song when they face stressful situations. 

One woman said that by the age of 16, when she had become very stressed during final exams, she was literally “haunted” by a particular song (“Nathan Jones” by The Supremes) that has followed her into her adult life, especially during stressful periods such as her wedding day and the birth of her first child. 

After carefully considering the results of her study, Dr. Williamson concluded...

To Be Continued 

References:  

Science Project: Is the Earworm Effect Real?

Why some songs get stuck in your head

The Science Behind Insanely Catchy Choruses

Music Psychology – with Dr Victoria Williamson

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