10 Ways Virginians Can Get a Stuck Song Out of Their Head on Their Way to Work
Ever had one of those mornings where a random song is stuck in your head before you’ve even had your coffee?
You’re brushing your teeth, and boom—“Call Me Maybe” is back again. By the time you’re halfway to your office in Virginia, you’ve replayed that same chorus a dozen times. The kicker?
You don’t even like the song.
Don’t worry—you’re not alone. That little loop of sound is called an earworm, and science says over 90% of people get them every week.
But the good news? There are some easy and even fun ways to shake it off. Here’s how to give that annoying tune the boot.
Chew Some Gum
This one sounds almost too simple, but it works. Scientists at the University of Reading found that chewing gum can help keep your brain busy enough to stop repeating a song.
Weird, right?
When you chew, especially if you’re doing it rhythmically, your brain is less likely to keep humming along to that song you didn’t ask for. Chewing gum takes up just enough mental space to block out the music loop. It’s like giving your brain a small job to do.
Plus, it helps if you’re someone who sings along in your head. Moving your jaw distracts your vocal muscles, and that can help stop the song from coming back again.
So next time you hop in the car or jump on the bus and a song starts playing in your head that you can’t stop, grab a piece of gum.
Not only will your breath be minty fresh for work, but you might also be able to break the replay cycle before it drives you nuts.
Listen to the Song All the Way Through
We get it—this one sounds counterintuitive. If you want the song out of your head, why listen to it again?
But here’s the deal—your brain doesn’t like unfinished business. A lot of the time, earworms get stuck because you only heard part of a song.
Maybe it was on a commercial or playing in a store. Your brain keeps looping the part it remembers because it’s trying to fill in the rest.
When you listen to the full song from beginning to end, your brain can finally check it off like, “Okay, we’re done here.” It’s kind of like reading the last page of a book you couldn’t stop thinking about.
Try this trick next time a jingle or a chorus is driving you crazy. Pull up the song on your phone, play it all the way through once, and see if your brain lets go.
Sing a Different Song
Fighting music with more music? Yep, that’s a thing.
Sometimes your brain just wants a beat, and if one song is stuck, replacing it with another can do the trick. But here’s the catch—you need to pick a song that doesn’t become the next earworm.
Choose something short, simple, and maybe even a little boring.
Children’s songs like “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” or familiar tunes like the ABCs work well.
They’re easy for your brain to process and usually don’t stick around as long. Singing a full song like that gives your brain something else to focus on, usually without making it worse.
You can also try singing out loud if you’re in the car or walking alone. Even whispering the words can help.
The point is to let your brain move on to a new track. Just don’t pick something super catchy or you’ll be stuck with a new song instead.
Solve a Puzzle or Do a Word Game
Your brain loves puzzles, and they use up the same brain power that repeats songs. Doing a quick crossword, Sudoku, or even a phone game like Wordle can help stop the music loop.
It gives your mind something else to think about—something with rules and answers instead of a never-ending chorus.
When you work on a puzzle, your brain is forced to switch gears. It has to focus on logic or spelling or strategy. That leaves little space for the song to play in the background.
Just a few minutes of brainwork can give your mind the reset it needs. So the next time your head is filled with “It’s Raining Tacos” or some old boy band tune, try solving a riddle instead.
Your ears will thank you.
Talk to Yourself (Yes, Really)
Okay, this one might feel a little awkward, but hear us out. Talking out loud can actually help stop a stuck song.
When you speak, you use the same brain pathways that are involved in singing or repeating lyrics in your head. So if you talk—even just to yourself—it can break the loop.
You don’t need to give a speech. Just say what you’re doing, like “I’m getting in the car now,” or “I’m making toast for breakfast.”
This kind of self-talk is enough to interrupt the brain’s background music. It helps if you say something totally unrelated to the song.
You can even try reciting a poem or reading out loud from your phone or a book. Anything with spoken words forces your brain to stop replaying the tune.
It may feel a little silly, but it’s better than humming “Baby Shark” for 45 minutes.
Try the “Cure Song”
Yes, there’s actually such a thing as a “cure song.” It’s a song that you choose to play to replace the one that’s bothering you.
This is similar to singing a different song, except it’s your single go-to song you sing to yourself whenever you have an earworm.
As you now know, your cure song has to be a song that you can enjoy without getting it stuck in your head afterward. These songs are usually predictable, not too catchy, and easy to forget.
Everybody’s cure song is different, so you might need to test a few out. Some people swear by classical music, soft jazz, or mellow acoustic songs.
Others pick a tune they like but are kind of tired of. Think of it as giving your brain a final song to end the playlist.
Once you’ve found a song that doesn’t come back later, save it for emergencies. Keep it on your phone or playlist, ready to go the next time a jingle attacks.
Tap Your Fingers or Drum a Beat
This trick is all about rhythm. If you find yourself stuck on a beat, your brain might just need to get the music out physically.
Tapping your fingers, snapping, or lightly drumming on your steering wheel or desk can help break the loop. It gives your body a way to express the rhythm so your brain doesn’t have to repeat it.
It’s a little like dancing, but smaller. You don’t have to move a lot—just enough to release the energy the song is storing up inside you.
Some people even find that tapping a totally different beat helps more than tapping along to the actual tune.
This is a good one to try when you’re driving or waiting in line. No one will even notice you’re doing it. Just don’t start full-on air-drumming unless you want some funny looks.
Think About the Lyrics Critically
Instead of just letting the song repeat, try breaking it down. Ask yourself what the lyrics really mean. Are they silly? Confusing? Totally random?
Focusing on the words can actually make the song seem less catchy. When you think about it too hard, the magic may fade.
For example, if you’re stuck on “Who Let the Dogs Out,” ask yourself, who did let the dogs out? Why? Where did the dogs go?
Suddenly it’s less fun and more of a weird mystery. This kind of thinking pulls the song apart in your brain so it doesn’t stick together as a loop anymore.
Once your brain is busy trying to answer questions about the song, it often decides it’s not worth the effort and moves on.
Count Backward from 100
Counting backward takes real concentration. It’s not something most people do automatically, which makes it perfect for distracting your brain from an earworm. Start at 100 and slowly count back to 1.
If that’s too easy, try skipping numbers—like counting down by 3s or 7s.
This mental workout forces you to concentrate elsewhere. That means the tune has to take a back seat while your brain focuses on math.
It’s a little boring, sure, but that’s the point—it’s a brain reset.
If you’re on a walk or driving, you can say the numbers out loud or whisper them. If you’re in a quiet place like an elevator or office, just count in your head.
Either way, the goal is to stop the music with some good old-fashioned numbers.
Use White Noise or Background Sounds
Sometimes, total silence is the enemy. When you’re sitting in quiet, your brain likes to fill in the gaps—and a catchy chorus is an easy filler.
Playing white noise or calming background sounds like rain, ocean waves, or even a fan can stop the song from replaying.
White noise works for some people because it gives your brain just enough sound to listen to, without giving it anything catchy to loop. It’s like turning on a soft “do not disturb” sign in your head.
There are even apps that play loops of background noise, made exactly for this kind of thing.
So if you’ve got earbuds or a Bluetooth speaker, try this out. It’s perfect for the car, your desk, or even while brushing your teeth.
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