By nature, pop music dominates virtually all music genres, gets wedged in the human brain and scales charts with enviable ease. According to Ali Ata, many people wonder – what works behind its magical power. In essence, the psychology that acts behind a catchy tune created by pop music can manipulate the reward centre of the brain, trigger the functioning of memory and activate emotions. Understanding how pop songs become earworms provides clues into how humans think and how powerfully pop is designed.
Earworm – A Science
An “earworm” refers to a catchy piece of tune that involuntarily loops in someone’s mind. Studies estimate that nearly 90% of individuals experience ear-worms at least once a week. Earworms typically have some common features such as they have simple melodies, there is repetition and foreseeable rhythmic patterns. Pop songs are specifically designed with those features making them potent to grab the brain.
Catchy tunes, neurologically, tend to captivate the auditory cortex, an area of the brain associated with the processing of sound. When a melody gets repeated or its pattern feels known, the brain helps in reminding, occasionally even the tune circulates in the head after the sounds have stopped. This is how the chorus of a pop song is crafted making it easily memorable or being recalled almost immediately.
The Purpose of Repetition and Structure
Perhaps pop music’s most distinctive characteristic is its use of repetition. Be it a reiterated chorus, rhythm, or word, this device is essential in creating a catchy tune. From a psychological viewpoint, repetition works because it assists memory. By using patterns, it makes things more recognizable in shorter time spans.
Most popular songs have a familiar structure known as verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus. This pattern is comforting and familiar, allowing the listener to easily prepare for what’s coming next. The more a listener hears the pattern, the more likely it is to be stored in their memory. Catchiness is not an accident—it lies in its design says Ali Ata.
Emotional Triggers and Musical Pleasure
Catchy tunes aren’t merely great to the ear—they feel great. When people hear a beloved pop hit, their brains deliver dopamine, the “feel-good” hormone tied to pleasure and reward. That response is a similar one produced when tasting exquisite food or getting something done.
Pop music tends to have positive themes, related lyrics, and upbeat tempos. These attributes trigger emotional reactions, whether it is related to happiness, nostalgia, or euphoria. Emotional songs tend to be more memorable and replayed. Thus, pop music takes advantage of both emotional and neuroscientific reactions to remain in listeners’ minds.
Cultural Exposure and Familiarity
The more a melody is played or heard, the more likely it is to become catchy. This phenomenon is natural due to the ‘mere exposure effect’, which states that greater repetitions tend to increase one’s liking for something. Given the lingering presence of pop music in commercials, films, social media platforms, and streaming networks, exposure to pop songs is maximized, and repetition makes them memorable.
To conclude, pop music remains memorable, which is not a coincidence—it’s the product of meticulous composition, repetition, emotional connection, and psychological factors. Knowing the science behind why pop songs linger helps one more fully appreciate the artistry of the genre.
