Why Do I Listen To The Same Song Over And Over?
The most recent update was on August 25, 2021. Because our brains form emotional links to certain songs, groups of people tend to like listening to the same music. They are also simpler to sing and dance along to, and it takes a great deal less effort to listen to music that you already like rather than attempting to locate new tunes to like.
Not to mention the fact that music may be a component of your identity. Some individuals even play the same music over and over again because it helps them relive a certain event in their lives that stands out to them. However, they are not the only possible explanations. Even if all of these explanations are reasonable, there may be another, more profound reason for why we keep coming back to the same songs over and over again.
Let’s find out more! 
Why do I obsessively listen to one song?
It’s a well-known fact that we’ve heard at least 90 percent of the music that we listen to previously. Why is it that, despite the fact that each year sees the release of tens of thousands of new songs, we continue to listen to the same songs over and over again? It’s possible that the answer lies in the scientific world.
Professor Elizabeth Margulis, who just published On Repeat: How Music Plays the Mind, stated in an interview with Mic that musical repetition causes listeners to “consciously imagine or sing through the portion we expect to come next.” “There is the potential for the listener to have a sense of shared subjectivity with the music.
People frequently remark about the sensation of the boundaries between oneself and the music dissolving when they are describing the most intense musical experiences they have had. ” Therefore, you play songs over and over again until it feels like you’re actually singing along with them.
- What Margulis refers to as “virtual involvement” is the feeling of expectation that develops in the listener as the performance progresses.
- It is a form of engagement that is analogous to engaging in something that follows a narrative framework, such as repeatedly reading a book or watching a movie.
- It is almost as if you were generating the music with your thoughts — as if it were a part of you.
In other words, it seems like you are one with the music. This is based, at least in part, on something that is known in the scientific community as the simple exposure effect. The idea is straightforward: we appreciate things simply because we’ve been exposed to them on several occasions.
- That very same concept is what enables the music business to “brainwash” people into enjoying songs by merely purchasing radio plays, and it is why they are able to do so.
- The music business has also made advantage of the science of earworms in order to create unstoppable pop songs like the one that is now ranked number one.
The song “All About That Bass” – There are songs with repeating melodic lines that tend to become stuck in people’s heads (try reading “All about that bass / Bout that bass / No treble” without singing it). Between 98 and 99 percent of the population has reported having a song stuck in their brain at some point.
However, Margulis points out that the effect of merely being exposed to something is considerably more than just an unknown brain function. The music that we desire to listen to over and over again provides insight into the way our thoughts work as well as who we are as individuals. “Margulis elaborated, “Depending on our musical backgrounds and personalities, one of us could like listening to the same simple chorus over and over again, but another of us would only want to hear the most avant-garde pick numerous times.” The vast majority of us engage in compulsive listening, at least to some extent.” It would appear that playing a song over and over again is the most important factor in the process by which music becomes a part of you.
This is because repetition enables us to engage in different modes of listening, which, in turn, ultimately results in our experiencing a deeper sense of connection to the music. “Not only do all known human societies generate music, but they all make music where repetition plays a defining role,” Margulis continued.
This suggests that music is an essential part of the human experience.” “Repetition is an effective method for learning how to listen, particularly in unfamiliar genres. It not only enlightens us on the significant thematic elements, but also assists us in analyzing the musical surface.” In addition, in Margulis’ opinion, the development of new musical technology has made it nearly impossible to ignore repetition.
It goes to the heart of why we place such a high value on music.
Is earworm a mental illness?
The condition known as earworms or trapped music syndrome – Earworms are annoying melodies that play in your head without you wanting them to, and up to 98 percent of people living in Western countries have encountered them at some point in their lives.1 Typically, stuck songs are memorable melodies that come to mind out of nowhere or are prompted to surface by feelings, connections, or just by hearing the melody.1 Earworms have been linked to issues with memory, as the aural information they contain acts as an effective mnemonic device.
What does stimming feel like?
What kind of a term is this? – It’s called stimming, which is an abbreviation for the more mouthful phrase self-stimulatory behaviors used in the medical field. Squealing, swaying, head pounding, or continually touching different textures are all examples of stimming behaviors.
Why do I keep listening to sad songs?
The basic feeling of sadness is one that is communicated and understood in the same manner across all cultures. Innate and shared by all people across the world are fundamental feelings like happiness, rage, and grief. It doesn’t take much time or musical skill to get a handle on the fundamental feelings that can be evoked by music.
- For example, if you listen to a cellist play a sorrowful piece, you can find yourself experiencing true feelings of melancholy.
- A lower overall pitch, a slower pace, the usage of the minor mode, dull and gloomy timbres, and less dynamic execution are the most essential musical signals for the representation of grief in Western music (Juslin, 2013).
The feeling known as sadness is often considered to be a negative one. However, we have a tendency to find it delightful in terms of aesthetics; this phenomenon, which is referred to as the paradox of appreciating sad music. Why do certain individuals get such a kick out of listening to depressing music, and what exactly is the source of this rush? There is a growing body of data that shows the pleasure experienced in reaction to sad music is tied to a mixture of the variables listed below (Eerola, et al., 2018; Sachs et al 2015).1.
Nostalgia. Music that is gloomy and depressing can evoke strong feelings of melancholy and longing for bygone eras. This sort of contemplative revisiting of fond memories may improve one’s mood, particularly if the recollections are connected to significant turning points and defining moments in one’s life (i.e., high school, college).
Through the use of our creative imaginations, we take pleasure in the richness of these recollections. Both happiness, from remembering the good times spent together, and grief, because of their absence, are experienced.2. Feelings experienced by another.
- Listeners experience feelings that are not directly related to their own lives as a result of listening to music.
- The expression of unpleasant feelings by listening to music, such as rage or despair, can be therapeutically beneficial.
- It’s quite therapeutic.
- When we engage in the practice of listening to or watching music or a movie that is depressing, we disengage ourselves from any actual harm or danger that the music or movie may convey.
One of the most fundamental aspects of our emotional self is revealed to us when we are moved to tears by the beauty of sorrowful music (Kawakami, et al., 2013). Prolactin is the third hormone. Prolactin is a hormone that is related with weeping and helps to control sadness.
- Sad music is linked to the hormone prolactin, which is linked to crying and helps curb grief (Huron, 2011).
- The brain is tricked into participating in a natural, compensating reaction by the release of prolactin when listening to sad music.
- In the absence of a stressful experience, the body is left with a delightful mixture of opiates that have nowhere else to go.
This can lead to the development of addiction. Prolactin is responsible for producing emotions of tranquility, which help to alleviate mental discomfort.4. Compassion. The capacity for empathy is essential to the whole experience of listening to sorrowful music.
- A general definition of empathy would be a mental process by which one might come to comprehend and experience what it is that another person is going through.
- Expressions of sorrow and loss have a good chance of moving other people to provide support and assistance.
- Similarly, those who have a strong propensity toward empathy may find that listening to sad music causes them to feel concerned when they hear about other people’s problems.5.
the management of one’s mood The psychological advantages of sad music come from its ability to regulate mood. The listener is able to take their mind off of troubling events (such as the end of a relationship or the passing of a loved one) and instead concentrate on the beauty of the music.
In addition, song lyrics that have a strong personal resonance for the listener might provide expression to sentiments or experiences that the listener may not be able to articulate for themselves.6. A made-up companion in your head The presence of music may act as a companion and a source of consolation.
When people are experiencing emotional discomfort, when they are feeling lonely, or when they are in a reflective mindset, they have a tendency to listen to melancholy music more frequently. After the passing of a loved one, one may feel as though they have a new imaginary friend to turn to for comfort and understanding in the form of sad music.
The sheer existence of a virtual person, who is represented by the music, who is in the same mood as the listener and may assist them cope with those sentiments is comforting to the listener. In a nutshell, studies have shown that listening to music may influence a person’s feelings, mood, memory, and attention.
One of the primary reasons why people invest so much of their time, energy, and money into music is because of the emotional impact that it possesses (Juslin, 2013). It is precisely because of music’s capacity to convey feeling that this art form has found a place in the field of music therapy.
Why do I keep listening to sad songs?
The basic feeling of sadness is one that is communicated and understood in the same manner across all cultures. Innate and shared by all people across the world are fundamental feelings like happiness, rage, and grief. It doesn’t take much time or musical skill to get a handle on the fundamental feelings that can be evoked by music.
- For example, if you listen to a cellist play a sorrowful piece, you can find yourself experiencing true feelings of melancholy.
- A lower overall pitch, a slower pace, the usage of the minor mode, dull and gloomy timbres, and less dynamic execution are the most essential musical signals for the representation of grief in Western music (Juslin, 2013).
The feeling known as sadness is often considered to be a negative one. However, we have a tendency to find it delightful in terms of aesthetics; this phenomenon, which is referred to as the paradox of appreciating sad music. Why do certain individuals get such a kick out of listening to depressing music, and what exactly is the source of this rush? There is a growing body of data that shows the pleasure experienced in reaction to sad music is tied to a mixture of the variables listed below (Eerola, et al., 2018; Sachs et al 2015).1.
Nostalgia. Music that is gloomy and depressing can evoke strong feelings of melancholy and longing for bygone eras. This sort of contemplative revisiting of fond memories may improve one’s mood, particularly if the recollections are connected to significant turning points and defining moments in one’s life (i.e., high school, college).
Through the use of our creative imaginations, we take pleasure in the richness of these recollections. Both happiness, from remembering the good times spent together, and grief, because of their absence, are experienced.2. Feelings experienced by another.
Listeners experience fictitious feelings as a result of music, which have no bearing on their actual lives. The expression of unpleasant feelings through music, such as rage or melancholy, can be helped along by listening to music. It’s quite therapeutic. When we engage in the practice of listening to or watching music or a movie that is depressing, we disengage ourselves from any actual harm or danger that the music or movie may convey.
One of the most fundamental aspects of our emotional self is revealed to us when we are moved to tears by the beauty of sorrowful music (Kawakami, et al., 2013). Prolactin is the third hormone. Prolactin is a hormone that is related with weeping and helps to control sadness.
Sad music is linked to the hormone prolactin, which is linked to crying and helps curb grief (Huron, 2011). The brain is tricked into participating in a natural, compensating reaction by the release of prolactin when listening to sad music. In the absence of a stressful experience, the body is left with a delightful mixture of opiates that have nowhere else to go.
This can lead to the development of addiction. Prolactin is responsible for producing emotions of tranquility, which help to alleviate mental discomfort.4. Compassion. The capacity for empathy is essential to the whole experience of listening to sorrowful music.
A general definition of empathy would be a mental process by which one might come to comprehend and experience what it is that another person is going through. Expressions of sorrow and loss have a good chance of moving other people to provide support and assistance. Those who have a natural propensity for empathy may also find that listening to sad music causes them to feel concerned when they hear about other people’s problems.5.
the management of one’s mood The psychological advantages of sad music come from its ability to regulate mood. The listener is able to take their mind off of troubling events (such as the end of a relationship or the passing of a loved one) and instead concentrate on the beauty of the music.
- In addition, song lyrics that have a strong personal resonance for the listener might provide expression to sentiments or experiences that the listener may not be able to articulate for themselves.6.
- A made-up companion in your head The presence of music may act as a companion and a source of consolation.
When people are experiencing emotional discomfort, when they are feeling lonely, or when they are in a reflective mindset, they have a tendency to listen to melancholy music more frequently. After the passing of a loved one, one may feel as though they have a new imaginary friend to turn to for comfort and understanding in the form of sad music.
- The sheer existence of a virtual person, who is represented by the music, who is in the same mood as the listener and may assist them cope with those sentiments is comforting to the listener.
- In a nutshell, studies have shown that listening to music may influence a person’s feelings, mood, memory, and attention.
One of the primary reasons why people invest so much of their time, energy, and money into music is because of the emotional impact that it possesses (Juslin, 2013). It is precisely because of music’s capacity to convey feeling that this art form has found a place in the field of music therapy.