How do we remember so much music?

any music that comes on, if i've heard it before, I instantly remember every single note and beat of the music, like a musical parrot.

the catalogue i've seemed to accumulate over the years and memorize is what reveals one of the effortless capabilities of the human mind.

with such a variety of musical concepts, it's hard for me to grasp how the mind is capable of reproducing them so easily, as if the mind works like youtube itself. just needs to load the song and voila.

try listening to this song, it's a loop, see if you can remember how the music will go the second time around and how easy or not you can remember it

Emotional things are remembered more. Music is very emotional.

Parents listened to country and "oldies but goodies"

I listen to rap/screw, since 8 yrs old...

I can tune to a country station and know most the words! Lol!

I actually enjoy all music nowadays

reply to post by yourmaker


My question to you is ....

Why do the songs I hate keep playin' over and over in my head?

"You can dance if you want to..."

Because they're designed to get stuck in your head and brainwash the masses. It's a good thing you hate those songs. Means your still human.


And thanks for now getting that song stuck in my head!.. Gaaahhh!

Most music, especially popular, is extremely repetitive and easily memorable. Most pop music consists of 2 - 4 bar phrases that are repeated throughout the song. It's kind of sad to think about but most music is highly manipulative and is like brain washing, it will repeat the same thing over and over until it's stuck in your head.

However being able to remember a piece heard only once or twice is an interesting phenomenon and I can't exactly say why this is. The skeptic may say it's because the particular piece is similar to another song. But I have found myself walking down the grocery isle surprised to find myself being able to hum along with a song I've heard only once.

On the other hand try remembering atonal pieces such as this one:

Originally posted by Spacelord
Because they're designed to get stuck in your head and brainwash the masses. It's a good thing you hate those songs. Means your still human.

And thanks for now getting that song stuck in my head!.. Gaaahhh!

edit on 25-12-2011 by Spacelord because: Because TDawgRex got a dumb song stuck in my head

Let me cure you...

"We built this city...we built this city on Rock & Roll!"



I know...I'm a bad man.