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Christmas earworms: the science behind our love-hate relationship with festive songs
The U-shaped Curve Of Liking
- White Christmas by Irving Berlin is the best selling single of all time and is studied on why it is popular for decades, and sold over 50 million copies. It seems to fall into the category of a likeable earworm.
- Most songs follow a U-shaped curve of liking. New music isn’t liked very much, but as it gets familiar and is heard repetitively (on the radio and in the mall), one tends to like it more.
- This repetition effect is U-shaped as too much exposure diminishes the fondness towards the song.
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The Twelve Days of Christmas
The first verse of the Christmas carol, The Twelve Days of Christmas, evolved as a festive memory game. The list of objects or animals builds with each verse and forfeits are impos...
We Wish You a Merry Christmas
This carol reveals customs. Under the Tudor monarchs, wassailing and mumming were still practised, with carollers and players performing from door to door.
It was bad luck not to reward their efforts with food and drink, including the 'figgy pudding,' or Christmas pudding.
Deck the Halls
A favourite Welsh folk song during the 16th century we know today as Deck the Halls only acquired Christmassy words in the 19th century.
Deck the Halls had words that would not have suited the prim Victorians. In the 1860s, Thomas Oliphant changed the lines to suit the dancing melody and lively 'fa la la' chorus for the celebration of Christmas preparations.
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The Inventor Of Rock & Roll
… was originally, according to Billboard Magazine, Rhythm & Blues music. This was until Producer Sam Phillips (Sun Records), the ‘inventor’ of Rock & Roll, started promoting little known ar...
Sam Phillips
He was not looking to make big money. His heart always wanted to do something great and original, to leave a mark. He recorded new music from upcoming artists, only to stop doing that once the real surge in sales was about to begin.
Race Music
... was the original name given by Billboard to the genre which was later called Rhythm & Blues.
Black artists were more creative, edgy, talented, and had a wild style that was light years ahead of white performers. This made ‘race music’ popular across all demographics and regions, something that was picked up by many record companies, including Sun Records.
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Dopamine Functions
Dopamine is an important chemical messenger that plays several important roles in the brain and body:
- It influences moods and feelings of reward and motivation: When&nbs...
Increase dopamine levels naturally
They are generally well regulated by the body, but there are a few diet and lifestyle changes you can make to boost your levels naturally:
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- Listen to music
- Meditate
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