The science of earworms

Read about the efforts to understand why some songs get stuck in our head.

Excerpt:
Now researchers in London believe they are on course to crack the code which determines why some tunes, known as earworms, seem to get stuck on repeat inside our brains. They say the results of their studies could be used to compose the perfect pop song, as well as enhancing our understanding of how the brain processes music.

More than 90 percent of people are estimated to experience earworms regularly, according to one recent study. The phenomenon has also been described as "sticky music," or as a "cognitive itch" which can only be scratched by constant mental repetition of a particular tune.