Earworms - Why that song is stuck in your head

Remember when that ANNOYING song was stuck in your head? A proper earworm. Well it's not just that it was catchy/annoying, there's actually some science behind why these songs lodge themselves inside our heads and repeat on an endless loop. Report by Claire Lomas. Current affairs, amazing footage and incredible stories. Welcome to ODN - On Demand News. Formerly the ITN YouTube channel, ODN is your home for the top visual stories happening across the globe. Like us on Facebook: ****** Follow us on Twitter: ****** Add us on Google : ****** More stories from ODN: Mick Fanning: shark attack survivor interview - ****** Santas prepare early - ****** Former Chad president Hissene Habre starts trial for war crimes - ****** Crimean safari park welcomes rare Amur tiger cubs - ****** Sepp Blatter showered with banknotes by Lee Nelson - ****** Earworms - why is that song stuck in your head? ****** Harlem Globetrotter performs amazing tricks on the beach - ****** Angry Brits caught on camera - ****** Surfer fights off shark attack on live TV - ****** Britain's Gary Hunt leads Cliff Diving World Series -****** Manila suburb break world record for largest Zumba class - ****** Thousands turn up for Harry Potter spin off open auditions - ****** Mud Festival in South Korea gets underway - ****** Diaper Derby: the slowest two minutes in sport - ****** Tributes paid to Former One driver Jules Bianchi - ****** NASA: New horizons probe zooms into Pluto's plains - ****** Shocking video shows people driving the wrong way up the M1 - ****** Google car involved in first injury accident - ****** MH17 Ukraine disaster: Australian memorial service - ****** How well do you know your emojis? ****** Shark alert! 50 sharks found swimming in Sussex nature reserve - ****** Crocodile makes Davis Cup draw - ****** MH17 aftermath - new footage emerges - ****** WWI cave inscriptions found in France - ****** Tim Farron elected Lib Dems leader - ****** Screams are designed to frighten you! ****** Pluto: Timelapse GIF of photography released - ******

When you've got a song stuck in your head - there's two reactions. You either totally love it or you're like OH MY GOD IF I SING THIS ONE MORE TIME. Well it's not just that they're catchy or annoying, there's actually some science behind why these songs lodge themselves inside our heads and repeat on an endless loop. So if you're a budding song writer you're gonna be like "ok, I need something catchy" But, it turns out you need a song where the chorus is repeated frequently throughout, whilst using limited vocabulary. Researchers in California have said the concept of "processing fluency" means that these kind of songs are very sticky on our brains. We basically get excited about things that are easily understood - and I can agree with that one, the less thinking the better right? If it's easier, it feels better. If it feels better, my brain tells me I like it more. And if I have a positive feeling about something because it's familiar, then I like it even more. Other features are: notes with longer durations but smaller pitch intervals, meaning the tune is limited and there's more time spent on each note - which makes them easier to sing. The songs also likely to stick in your head tend to be predictable - again so the brain feels comfortable repeat it off its own accord. Obviously though "like" is a relative term - just because it's in your head all the time, it doesn't mean you're loving it.