![A woman wearing headphones holds her hands to her ears and yells with her eyes closed](https://www.uc.edu/news/articles/2024/06/n21258902/jcr:content/image.img.cq5dam.thumbnail.500.500.jpg/1718985538942.jpg)
The scientific reason songs get stuck in your head
UC expert featured in Prevention article
You know the feeling: that song you caught the last 30 seconds of on the radio is on a loop in your brain, replaying over and over. You find yourself humming the tune even though you don't even like the song that much.
The phenomenon where a song gets stuck in our heads is called an earworm, and the University of Cincinnati's Steven Gordon, MD, recently spoke with Prevention on how they happen and ways to get the song out of your head.
An earworm happens when you have the “inability to dislodge a song and prevent it from repeating itself” in your head, said Gordon, assistant professor in UC's College of Medicine and a UC Health physician.
Earworms are typically fragments of music, about 15 to 30 seconds long, heard internally on repeat. Gordon said research shows up to 98% of the Western population has experienced earworms. They are totally normal for most people, although in some cases they can be linked to anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder.
Although they seem to pop up out of nowhere, Gordon said earworms are almost always linked to a memory subconsciously triggered by emotions, an association or just by hearing a melody.
Gordon said listening to the song stuck in your head can work to push it out of your mind for some people, but for others, chewing gum, listening to talk radio and working on a puzzle can help occupy the mind. However, there is no research that definitively proves these methods are effective.
Featured photo at top of woman wearing headphones and yelling. Photo/iStock/shironosov.
Related Stories
Social media fuels extreme political rhetoric
July 17, 2024
![Local 12 logo.](/content/dam/refresh/uc-news/news-icons/dark/wkrc-logo-dark.png)
UC College of Arts and Sciences Professor Jeffrey Blevins tells Local 12 that online algorithms fuel political polarization on social media.
Camp aims to empower children, teens who stutter
July 17, 2024
A one-week, evidence-based program for children and teens who stutter at the University of Cincinnati will teach kids to communicate effectively, advocate for themselves and develop confidence about their communication abilities. Camp Dream. Speak. Live., which is coming to Cincinnati for the first time July 22-26, began in 2014 at the University of Texas at Austin. The Arthur M. Blank Center for Stuttering Education and Research at UT expects to serve more than 2,000 children at camps across the United States, Africa, Asia and Europe this year.
From intern to full-time: Recent Lighting Design grad joins Bandit Lites
July 16, 2024
![Lighting & Sound America](/content/dam/refresh/uc-news/news-icons/dark/LSA-bw-logo.png)
Lighting & Sound America spotlights recent graduate Riley Rowan's new position at Bandit Lites, a full-service design, management and producer of live events and entertainment.
CCM alum Donald Lawrence to be inducted into Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame
July 16, 2024
![The Cincinnati Herald](/content/dam/refresh/uc-news/news-icons/dark/cincinnati-herald.png)
UC College-Conservatory of Music alumnus Donald Lawrence is part of the 2024 class of Cincinnati Black Music Walk of Fame inductees. Located at the Banks in downtown Cincinnati, the induction ceremony on July 27 will feature a parade of stars and a free concert by the Zapp Band.
U.S. stroke survival is improving, but race still plays role
July 16, 2024
![U.S. News & World Report logo](/content/dam/refresh/uc-news/news-icons/dark/us-news.png)
U.S. News & World Report, HealthDay and Real Health covered new research from the University of Cincinnati that found overall rates of long-term survival following stroke are improving, but Black individuals experience worse long-term outcomes compared to white individuals.
Collaborative pianist and vocal coach Kirill Kuzmin joins CCM’s faculty
July 16, 2024
UC College-Conservatory of Music Interim Dean Jonathan Kregor has announced the addition of Kirill Kuzmin to the college’s faculty of distinguished performing and media arts experts, researchers and educators. A Grammy-nominated collaborative pianist and vocal coach, Kuzmin begins his new role as Associate Professor of Opera/Vocal Coaching on Aug. 15, 2024.
My incredible first year at Cincinnati Law: Journey, reflections and highlights
July 16, 2024
Dean Haider Ala Hamoudi gives a progress report on his first year as dean of the College of Law.
Presidential challenge to UC: Join Ride Cincinnati to fight cancer
July 16, 2024
UC President Neville Pinto has again challenged every UC college and unit to send at least one rider to the September 14 Ride Cincinnati event to help fundraise for cancer research and cancer care. UC students ride free. Signup by July 31 for free UC-branded cycling jersey.
Pediatric ICU rates linked to housing quality, income, education
July 16, 2024
![Healio logo](/content/dam/refresh/uc-news/news-icons/dark/healio.png)
Healio highlighted research led by the University of Cincinnati and Cincinnati Children's Hospital's Carlie Myers that found a link between pediatric ICU admission rates and housing quality, household income and education.
Get to know CCM’s newest faculty/staff members and unit heads
UC’s College-Conservatory of Music will welcome a variety of new faculty and staff members to its roster of distinguished performing and media arts experts, researchers and educators this fall.