If you’re still humming the 1996 Spice Girls anthem “Wannabe” (or still trying to figure about the exact meaning of zigazig-ah), science now knows why. According to a study conducted by Dr. John Ashley Burgoyne, who works as a computational musicologist, “Wannabe,” when pitted against other UK tracks released in the last few decades (read-no Beatles or Stones) was the most likely to get stuck in your head the longest, taking up space that could be used to store all the facts for your next chemistry test, probably.
Dr. Burgoyne used an online UK-based music game called Hooked on Music, which will quickly become your go to mode of procrastination when you’re avoiding that big paper. The game plays a clip of a popular song (you can choose to listen to recent hits or pick another decade for your throwback Thursday). Once you confirm you recognize the beat, the song pauses, then restarts a few seconds later. You need to figure out if it started up again in the right place. It can get addicting, but it might be the only way to get “Wannabe” out of your head.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJLIiF15wjQ&w=420&h=315]
[Lead image via]
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