Engaging with the song doesn’t work for everyone. If you hate the idea of listening to the song again, read the section below on distraction techniques.
If you can memorize all the lyrics, this might make the song too long to hold in your head.
Try out different tweaks and variations to break the repetitive cycle.
Imagine turn down the volume knob of the song until it sounds like a whisper. Imagine your mind as a room with many rooms. Build barriers in front of the song, slowly caging it into a smaller and smaller area. Each time you add a barrier, the song becomes quieter and more muffled. ‘Play’ the song in your head at a different tempo, imagining it as (very) slow or fast.
Visualize a sword or sharp object within your head, severing the link between your mind and the song. Imagine a record player in as much detail as possible. Look closely at the needle moving through the groove as the song plays. Lift the needle and listen to the sudden silence. [2] X Research source When you get to the end of the song, sing the last note (aloud or in your head), then let the pitch drop steadily until it’s much lower than any note in the song. This can sometimes prevent it starting again.
If you notice no difference and feel yourself getting frustrated, stop. Occasionally, an earworm can get worse if you try to fight it. [4] X Research source Beaman, C. P. and T. I. Williams (2010). Earworms (stuck song syndrome): Towards a natural history of intrusive thoughts. British Journal of Psychology 101(4): 637–653.
Recite something or read aloud. Hold a conversation. Meditate. Pray. Read a book. Watch television. Play a video game that includes speech and/or text.
God Save the Queen Karma Chameleon by Culture Club Happy Birthday To You The A-Team theme song Kashmir by Led Zeppelin Sledgehammer by Peter Gabriel
Songs you know well, especially ones associated with nostalgia or a specific memory. [6] X Research source Williamson, Victoria J. and Sagar R. Jilka. Experiencing earworms: An interview study of Involuntary Musical Imagery. Psychology of Music: September 2014, vol. 42, no. 5, pp. 653-670 Songs that are easy to sing along to. These tend to have notes with long durations, and small changes in pitch. [7] X Research source Williamson, Victoria J. and Daniel Müllensiefen. Earworms from Three Angles: Situational Antecedents, Personality Predisposition and the Quest for a Musical Formula. Most pop songs fit this description. Songs with repetition. These include nursery rhymes, songs with repetitive choruses, and, again, most pop songs.
A problem that’s too difficult will fail to engage you. Pick something within your range of ability. [9] X Research source
