Most people have experienced the moment when a few seconds of a song begin looping endlessly in the mind. Scientists call this an earworm, a term derived from the German word Ohrwurm, meaning a musical itch. The name was introduced in 1979 by psychiatrist Cornelius Eckert, and it describes a brief segment of music, usually around twenty seconds long, that repeatedly replays in your awareness without conscious effort.Research suggests that at least nine out of ten people encounter earworms, and for a significant portion of them, the experience can be irritating. According to David Silbersweig, a psychiatrist and neuroscientist at Harvard Medical School who has studied the brain’s response to music, certain structural and emotional features within songs increase the likelihood of them becoming stuck.
How repetitive musical patterns make songs turn into earworms
Songs with repetitive beats or melodies have a greater chance of becoming internal loops because the brain easily absorbs and recalls patterns. Melodies that hold certain notes for longer periods or use shorter intervals between notes also tend to linger. These structural qualities help imprint the tune on the neural circuits responsible for musical perception.Emotional connection strengthens this effect. A song that reminds you of a particular memory or triggers a strong feeling, even at a subconscious level, is more likely to resurface involuntarily. Music tied to nostalgia, joy, heartbreak or significant personal experiences often becomes the soundtrack your brain replays without being asked.
How different parts of the brain make earworms happen
Modern imaging techniques, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging, have given scientists a clearer view of how earworms form. The auditory cortex in the temporal lobe, which helps interpret sound and music, plays a central role. This region communicates with memory-related structures such as the hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus, allowing musical fragments to be stored and retrieved.Researchers have also identified the involvement of the phonological loop, the brain’s short-term sound storage system often described as a mental scratchpad. It allows you to hold a sound in your mind for a few seconds, and this temporary loop can become the foundation of an earworm when combined with repetition and emotional significance.Emotional processing centres contribute too. The amygdala, responsible for signalling importance or emotional intensity, and the nucleus accumbens, associated with pleasure and reward, both influence whether a musical snippet becomes engrained. Earworms often arise at the intersection of memory, emotion, and attention, governed by networks linking these regions.
Why our brains naturally hold on to earworms
Music has played a crucial role in human evolution. Long before written language existed, cultures used melody and rhyme to preserve and transmit stories and history. These tools helped people remember complex information through rhythm and repetition. Our brains evolved to rely on these musical cues, which explains why certain fragments stick so effortlessly today.Some studies suggest that people with reduced working memory capacity, such as individuals with attention-deficit disorders, may experience fewer earworms because their minds hold onto repeated information for shorter periods. Conversely, individuals living with obsessive-compulsive tendencies may be more prone to recurring mental loops, including musical ones, due to the brain’s difficulty interrupting repetitive thought cycles.Reason your brain gets “stuck”An earworm forms when the connections linking the auditory cortex, memory centres, and emotional circuits become engaged in an automatic loop. This continuous activation recreates the musical memory without deliberate intention. Once the loop begins, it can run repeatedly until another task or sound interrupts the cycle.How to stop a song from repeating in your mindThere are a few strategies that can help break the loop. Distracting the brain with an activity that demands focus can shift attention away from the repeating tune by redirecting the circuits involved. Some people find relief through mindfulness, allowing the tune to play without resisting it until it eventually fades. Another method is to listen to different music, effectively replacing the stuck segment with a new auditory input.
