The Solution to Get Rid of a Song Stuck in Your Head (Songs Like Baby Shark)

By
Vanessa Ong
-

Last Updated on 2020-11-18 , 7:25 pm

Have you ever walked past a toy store playing “Baby Shark”, have that tune stuck in your mind for hours on loop without even intending to?

No?

THEN LISTEN TO THIS NOW:

How about almost wanting to cry because the whole day, you’ve just been trying to get rid of “Baby Shark” in your head but to no avail?

We’ve all been there before.

By the way:

It’s so annoying, especially when you’re trying to do work. #relatable.

Can someone just save me from this “Baby Shark” already?!

Can, here:

I’ll stop talking and teach you ways to get rid of it now. You’re welcome.

But before that…

Earworms

Those repetitive tunes that plays in your head on loop are actually known as earworms.

No, not a real worm. It’s just a name.

According to Dr. James Kellaris at the University of Cincinnati, 98% of us have earworms every week. Both genders experience earworms equally.

However, women’s earworms tend to last longer and are perceived as more irritating.

Now you know why women tend to get more irritated easily: it’s because we hear “Baby Shark” more often. Blame the earworms.

There are a few key features that increases the likelihood of causing earworms. Firstly, the song is overly repetitive in tune, lyrics, or both. (I’m looking at you, “Baby Shark”.)

Secondly, the tune is extremely simple and lyrics are predictable and undemanding. Who knew how predictable Baby Shark could be?

Thirdly, the song has an unexpected element, for example a catchy rhythm or key change. Anyone thought of Justin Bieber’s “Baby”? It’s repetitive, it’s catchy, it has all the elements of being an earworm.

Last but not least, the song does not resolve. It goes on and on instead. Just like a lecture on an 8am class, or like “Baby Shark”.

Here you go again:

Solutions

Now you know how earworms are formed, here are some tips to get rid of it.

Earworms are most common when we are doing something mundane. For example, when we are walking down the street, we are idle and not using much of our cognitive resources.

Basically, when you’re not using your brain.

This leaves plenty of space for the tune to keep repeating itself. Hence, one way to silence it is to engage your mind. You can do math problems, sudoku or puzzles to drown out the earworms.

Another way is to chew on gums, or in Singapore case, just some candies. Chewing gum can interfere with the ability to “hear” music in some people’s heads. Try it and see if it works for you.

If the above doesn’t work, try to play another song with a different beat and rhythm altogether.

According to a study, the alternate song in most cases was able to suppress the earworms without becoming earworms themselves.

Here, we’ve a song perfect for you to remove that damn “Baby Shark”:

If all else fails and “Baby Shark” is still haunting you, try to relax. The earworm will eventually passes.

Featured Image: Galang Zainuddin / Shutterstock.com

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Vanessa Ong
Email: [email protected]