Have you ever found yourself repeating the same part of a song over and over, with nothing helping except listening to it on repeat? This phenomenon, known as an Earworm, is more common than you might think, and scientists have long been curious about why certain songs get stuck in our heads for years.
In 2016, the American Psychological Association released a study titled Dissecting an Earworm: Medoldic Features and Song Popularity Predict Involuntary Musical Imagery where they used 3,000 survey participants to research, explore and understand what causes earworms and how they persist.
The term Earworm originates from the coined German term öhrwurm, which is when a portion of a song — usually around 20 seconds — is on constant repeat in your head for hours, days or even weeks. The study revealed that nine out of ten people experience this at some point in their lives.
The study suggests that musical characteristics such as tempo, melodic structure and rhythmic elements are all contributing factors as to why a song may be stuck in your head. Popular songs that receive heavy radio play or go viral on platforms like TikTok are more likely to become Earworms due to repeated exposure.
Researchers suggest that songs that are simple and easy to remember with common melodic structure, and faster tempos are more likely to be stuck in your head.
Context also matters. Certain situations where you hear a song — such as an emotional or memorable event — can trigger the song to replay in your mind. Interestingly, the study also linked Earworm formation to enhanced creativity and problem-solving abilities.
So, the next time there is an Earworm stuck in your head, try shifting your focus and distract yourself with another task. Play the song in the background without paying close attention, or even listen to a different, simple tune to distract your mind with another song.
– JaTasia Powers
On Oct. 30, 2000, a new website was launched, using Britney Spears to teach students basic physics concepts. The website, called Britney Spears’ Guide to Semiconductor Physics, was accessible through the URL britneyspears.ac. The site illustrated a variety of physics concepts, ranging from how semiconductors are used to the basis of modern electronics.
While rumors have assumed that the website was created by Britney Spears herself, the founder was actually a physics post-grad from the University of Essex named Carl Hepburn. The website incorporated Britney Spears in a number of different ways, including a “lip glossary” of semiconductor physics and pictures of her alongside complex physics equations.
Hepburn decided to put the phrase “Britney Spears” in the website address, believing that it would make the website viral from fans who wanted to learn more about her. He also added picture galleries for those who looked up Britney Spears noting that, “I knew most people who were looking for information on Britney would not appreciate a site solely dedicated to semiconductor physics. So I added picture galleries.”
A year after the launch of the Britney Spears physics website, it gained attraction and became a viral sensation. Today, the site is still up, containing several vintage shots of Britney Spears. As the years continue to go by, one thing that will remain timeless is the Britney Spears Guide to Semiconductor Physics.
– Chae Eun Park
On Oct. 31, 1969, art and glam rock legend David Bowie took the stage of the General Gordon, a pub in Gravesend, England. However, the performance only lasted all of 15 minutes after Bowie made a surprising stylistic choice, diverging completely from a typical on-stage performance.
Bowie had just appeared on the Top of the Pops, a British music chart television program, with his classic hit, “Space Oddity.” Everyone wanted to see Bowie perform. So, he gave them what they wanted on that Halloween night. He played “Space Oddity,” but took a sharp turn, dragging a stool on stage with a huge book in hand.
Instead of continuing with more music, Bowie perched himself on the stool and began reading poems from the book. The unconventional and unprecedented move didn’t resonate, and he was eventually booed off stage — which, personally, I would’ve never done — leaving a crowd of very dissatisfied fans behind.
An attendee, Dave Stableford, had paid eight shillings and six pence for admission. He recalled, “Unfortunately, the poetry didn’t go down well and he was booed off stage.”
Of course, this performance didn’t dim his flame or halt his momentum whatsoever. He went on to become one of the greatest musicians of the ‘70s and ‘80s, with iconic albums such as The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, Aladdin Sane and Hunky Dory, only adding more quirk and personality to each performance.
– Noelle Simonelli
