The Anatomy of an Earworm: How to Create an Unforgettable Hit

Everyone knows the feeling of having a lyric or melody reverberating around their brain, leading to an irresistible urge to scratch the earworm itch and hit play on the track. But why does it happen? And more importantly, for artists wanting to live rent-free in the minds of music fans, what are some of the most crucial components of a perennial earworm? In this article, we will cover a few of the key fundamentals in the creation of infectious hits after exploring the psychology of aural addictions and how platforms, such as TikTok, have changed the way we get hooked on hooks. How Earworms Bed Down Before catchy singles were known as earworms, they were referred to as ‘sticky tunes’; regardless of the buzz words/phrases used to describe them, they allude to the phenomenon, scientifically known as involuntary musical imagery, which is a fascinating interplay of memory, emotion, and the brain’s wiring. For the perfect metaphor, imagine your brain as a DJ, constantly mixing tracks for your sole audio pleasure. When a song becomes an earworm, it’s like the DJ has put a particular track on repeat. Several factors contribute to this: Repetition and Familiarity: Our brain loves patterns and […]

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