It’s May 24th and these are some of the things that happened on this day in pop music history:
– In 1997, Hanson’s debut single “MMMbop” started a three-week run at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
There’s a scientific reason why songs get stuck in your head
What do the songs Baby Shark*, MMMBop*, Party in the USA* and Barbie Girl* have in common? They all get stuck in our head and according to new research by the University of NSW’s Professor Emery Schubert, there is a scientific reason for this.
The phenomenon* of having a song stuck (or in this case wriggling around) in your head is known as an ‘earworm.”*
Mr Schubert says the experience is quite common with some research suggesting that 98 per cent of us have experienced an earworm – or involuntary musical imagery (INMI*), as it’s known in music terms.
And while past research into determining the cause has explored tempos, melodies and pitches of the music, Mr Schubert has put forward a different explanation as to why songs like Baby Shark get stuck in our heads.
“It appears there’s an essential characteristic* necessary for a song to roll out the earworms – the music itself must have some repetition* in it,” Mr Schubert says.
According to Mr Shubert, while it is the chorus that has been the most reported part of a song to become an earworm (because they are inherently the section of a song that is repeated the most), they may not be the only element of a track that we can blame.
“Earworms might not have anything to do with the musical features* at all … It largely doesn’t matter what the music is, as long as repetition is part of the music structure,” he says.
The other parts of this earworm equation are the conditions in which we listen to the song, including recency* and familiarity* with the music.
But the key to getting that earworm really stuck in our heads is what Mr Schubert calls a low-attentional state*: otherwise known as daydreaming.
“It’s sometimes referred to as mind wandering*, which is a state of relaxation. In other words, if you’re deeply engaged with the environment you are in, really concentrating on a task, then you won’t get an earworm,” Mr Schubert says.
“Inside your relaxed mind, you don’t have to follow the exact structure of the music. Your mind is free to wander wherever it likes, and the easiest place to go is the repeated fragment* and to simply repeat it.”
Other than being annoying, are there any cons to having an earworm? Mr Schubert doesn’t think so.
“It’s a bit of a misconception* that they’re a problem,” he says. “We’re starting to see more research suggesting many find getting an earworm to be quite pleasant and it is not an issue that needs solving.”
However, when the song stuck in your head is not one you like, this can of course present an issue.
“The earworm doesn’t care about enjoyment; it cares about how familiar the music is, how recently something similar was heard, and whether the music contains repetition,” Mr Schubert says.
The good news is, there are some ways you can combat it.
“You may be able to wrap up an earworm by either finishing off the music, consciously* thinking of another piece of music, or by removing yourself from the triggers*, such as words or memories that relate to the music or lyrics,” Mr Schubert says.
He also says there has been some research that suggests chewing gum can help because it activates the same parts of the vocal mechanism* used for singing, which distracts* the earworm.
How to get your Ambient digital download
Ambient, the 2023 Hanson.net Members EP, is now available for download and listening. If you have renewed your membership for 2023 (expiration date in 2024) you will be able to download the digital version of the EP.
First, login to Hanson.net and click your username to see when your membership is good through. If it is 2024, you will have your download available. If it is 2023, you can renew now to add 1 year to your membership and be able to get the EP download.
If your expiration is in 2024, then click on “Orders” and find the order that was placed for the 2023 membership or renewal and your download link will be available.
The download will include the songs as well as a PDF of the booklet containing the lyrics.
Alternately, you can listen to the EP through the media player (cloud icon) if you are a current membership and lyrics are available in the store listing for the membership.
Busted team up with Hanson on new version of ‘90s classic MMMBop
Ahead of their upcoming arena tour together, Busted have joined forces with Hanson on an all-star version of the US trio’s nineties hit, MMMBop.
The Year 3000 group are celebrating their 20th anniversary with a new greatest hits album of re-recorded classics featuring an extended line-up of guests.
Having released new ‘2.0’ versions of their own tracks Loser Kid (feat Simple Plan) and Meet You There (feat Neck Deep), the boys have teamed up with the sibling trio on a re recorded version of their breakthrough track.
Busted will release their first-ever greatest hits LP later this year, featuring re-worked classics from their career and guest stars including All Time Low and McFly.
Speaking exclusively in RETROPOP’s May 2023 cover feature, Charlie teases: “There’s a couple of songs we’ve completely reworked. Meet You There is now a full band song and it sounds really great.”
Marking their latest milestone, the band will also embark on a huge arena tour, kicking off in September and playing across the UK and Ireland through October – with Matt promising it will be their “best ever”.
“We have so many ideas,” he says. “We’re in the stage where we’re throwing everything at people and they’re saying, ‘Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.’ Then they come back and say, ‘No, no, no, no, no – that’s gonna cost you all of your money. You can’t do that!’
“But at the moment, we’re just coming up with the coolest shit we can think of and if 30 per cent of what we’ve come up with happens, it will be the best show ever.”
Setlist: May 19 Riverside, IA
Hanson, Sheila E., UB40 Among Free Concerts Coming to Camden County This Summer
The free concerts coming to Camden County this summer sure are sure to “MMMBop.”
That’s because Hanson will be playing their hit song as part of the 2023 Camden County Summer Parks Concert Series. The brothers will take the stage at Cooper River Park on Thursday, June 29, as part of the Twilight Concert Series, Camden County announced Thursday.
Other notable acts set to take one of three stages this summer include Arrested Development (of “Tennessee” fame) on Monday, June 12; Sheila E. on Monday, July 10; Aimee Mann on Wednesday, Aug. 2; and “American Idol’s” Ruben Studdard (singing Luther Vandross) on Thursday, July 20.
The headline event is on July 4th when reggae stars UB40 headline the July 4th Freedom Festival at Wigging Park ahead of fireworks over the Delaware River
The free — yes free — concerts will take place at three different locations with the Ferko String Band kicking things off on Thursday, June 1, and Gabe Dixon wrapping it up on Wednesday, Aug. 30.
“This lineup of free concerts was carefully crafted with our residents and families in mind,” Commissioner Deputy Director Ed McDonnell, liaison to the Department of Events and Community Outreach, said. “The next three months here in Camden County will be full of music and performances that everyone can enjoy.”
The Monday Sunset Jazz Series concerts take place at 8 p.m. at Wiggins Waterfront Park in Camden. The Wednesday Sundown Music Series concerts take place at 7:30 p.m. at the McLaughlin-Norcross Memorial Dell Concert Venue in Haddon Heights at Haddon Lake Park. The Thursday Twilight Concert Series at Cooper River Park in Pennsauken Township.
HANSON: Epic Week!
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First Look: 2023 Eat to the Beat Concert Series at EPCOT
The Eat to the Beat Concert Series presented by Florida Blue Medicare is bringing the heat to the 2023 EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival presented by CORKCICLE starting July 27. Here is a first look at the lineup of artists bringing sizzling sounds to the America Gardens Theatre!
Fan-favorites like Sheila E. and Hanson are ready to serve up hits once again while festival newcomers Orianthi, Phillip Phillips, The Bacon Brothers, We The Kings and more bring new flavor to this year’s menu of talent. Speaking of talent, local bands will take the stage Tuesday-Thursday so you can enjoy delicious eats and fun beats all week long! View the full list of announced artists below and keep checking back at TasteEPCOT.com as more acts are revealed!
- July 28-29 – Orianthi (NEW)
- July 30-31 – FOR KING + COUNTRY (NEW)
- Aug. 4-5 – Southern Avenue
- Aug. 6-7 – Tiffany
- Aug. 11-12 – Ruben Studdard with Haley Reinhart
- Aug. 13-14 – The Bacon Brothers (NEW)
- Aug. 18-21 – Joey Fatone & Friends
- Aug. 25-26 – Ayron Jones (NEW)
- Aug. 27-28 – Phillip Phillips (NEW)
- Sept. 1-2 – Baha Men
- Sept. 3-4 – MercyMe
- Sept. 8-9 – Ray Parker Jr.
- Sept. 10-11 – TobyMac
- Sept. 15 – Celebrity Latin Talent
- Sept. 16 – Celebrity Latin Talent
- Sept. 17-18 – Raul Acosta and Oro Solido (NEW)
- Sept. 22-23 – Los Amigos Invisibles
- Sept. 24-25 – 98 °
- Sept. 29 – Oct. 2 – Boyz II Men
- Oct. 6-7 – Mark Wills
- Oct. 8-9 – Sugar Ray
- Oct. 13-14 – Hoobastank
- Oct. 15-16 – Air Supply
- Oct. 20-21 – Taylor Dayne
- Oct. 22-23 – Billy Ocean
- Oct. 27-30 – Hanson
- Nov. 3-4 – We The Kings (NEW)
- Nov. 5-6 – Sheila E.
- Nov. 10-11 – Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
- Nov. 12-13 – 38 Special
Beginning July 6, you can secure your spot for these performances with an Eat to the Beat Dining Package. Find out more by visiting TasteEPCOT.com. Keep following the Disney Parks Blog for updates as things heat up around the festival!
To experience the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival, guests must have both valid admission and a park reservation for EPCOT on the same date.
Setlist: May 13 Hanson Day
Hanson Day 2023 to conclude with concert at Cain’s Ballroom
TULSA, Okla. — Fansons rejoice! It’s that time of year where fans from near and far journey to Tulsa to celebrate brothers Isaac, Taylor, and Zac Hanson.
The boys were 11, 13, and 16 years old when Hanson released their first album, “Middle of Nowhere,” in 1997 and hit single “MMMBop.”
Hanson Day is all about bringing the music community together that combines a mix of events and activities in Tulsa.
On Saturday, fans will have a chance to attend the 2023 I Heart 2 Bowl Tournament at the Dust Bowl in downtown Tulsa. Later, the brothers will perform at Cain’s Ballroom.
Some of Saturday’s events will also be streamed online, according to Hanson’s website.