Want to get rid of a earworm? Try John Cage | Music
I have suffered from constant tinnitus for 30 years, and when it was joined by earworms it became almost unbearable (Tortured by an earworm? How to get it out of your head, 16 December). I read of the “cure” of listening to something else, but all that did was to replace it with something perhaps more irritating.
Then I got to wondering: what would happen if I listened to silence? It wasn’t music, so it didn’t work. But then I began to listen to Cage’s 4’33” – and amazingly, that did work, but not on audio only. I have to watch the music not being played. I have watched versions on the violin, guitar, full orchestra, string quartet, piano – it doesn’t matter which it is because they all sound the same.
I have now been earworm-free for about 12 months. Occasionally, after making the mistake of listening to Abba or Noddy Holder, it returns, but after 4’ 33” I am blessedly earworm-free again.
Thank you, John Cage. The whole concept of the piece is a nonsense, but I can’t describe how glad I am that he didn’t compose it.
Joan Friend
Oldham, Greater Manchester
As a musician I have been plagued my entire life by earworms. The solution is to find a “counter-song”, something popular and singable, but with a chord structure and rhythm more complex than the usual song, and which comes cleanly to an end. My counter-song is Wouldn’t It Be Nice by the Beach Boys. Once or twice sung to myself and everything else is blanked out.
David Rodowick
Sète, France
Though it seems common sense, substituting another tune for a earworm has never helped. Someplace I read the solution that works for me nearly every time: work a moderately challenging maths problem. The accompanying advice cautioned against an especially difficult problem. I find one that seems tractable, but not obvious.
Bernie Walp
Hilo, Hawaii, US
I find that listening to the offending song and paying attention to the lines right after the sticky bit usually clears the earworm. The next time it plays in my head, I can go past the loop and my brain is satisfied.
Keith Malcolm
Beccles, Suffolk
