Why do we get songs stuck in our heads, and how do I get rid of one?

Getting a song stuck in your head—often called an "earworm"—happens because your brain is trying to fill in gaps in your memory or because a specific melody is simple, repetitive, and familiar. When a song has a rhythm or structure that is easy for your brain to "loop," it creates a cognitive itch that your brain keeps trying to scratch by replaying the tune.

Here are a few ways to get rid of an earworm:

• Listen to the whole song: Sometimes your brain is stuck because it only knows a small snippet. Listening to the entire track from start to finish can help your brain "close the loop" and move on.
• Engage in a cognitive task: Do something that requires focus, like a crossword puzzle, a Sudoku, or reading a complex text. If your brain is busy processing other information, it has less "RAM" available to play the song.
• Chew gum: Research suggests that the act of chewing interferes with the "subvocalization" (the way we silently talk to ourselves), which can disrupt the auditory loop of the song.
• "Cure" songs: Some people find that listening to a specific, different song (often called an "incurable" song or a "bridge" song) can replace the original one. Nursery rhymes or songs like "God Save the King" are often cited for this.
• Don't fight it: Ironically, trying not to think about the song often makes it louder. Acknowledge it’s there, do something else, and let it fade out naturally as your attention shifts.