It's a frustrating thing most of us have experienced.
大多數人都有過這種沮喪的經歷。

A song gets stuck inside of your head, seemingly playing on a permanent loop.
你的腦海里總回蕩著一首歌，這歌似乎還處于循環播放模式。

But what are the most difficult tunes to shift - and why do they get stuck in the first place?
不過你知道最洗腦的歌曲都有哪些嗎？為什么一聽見它們，你就無法忘懷？

Well, now you can find out - because researchers have developed a mathematical formula to explain the phenomena.
嗯，現在你能搞明白到底是怎么回事兒了——因為研究人員已列出了能解釋該現象的數學公式。

The experts claim the formula sheds light on why some musical combinations are unforgettable - and in some cases, inescapable.
專家稱該公式能闡明某些旋律令人難以忘記甚至揮之不去的原因。

These include Happy by Pharrell Williams , the Village People's YMCA and Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody and We are the Champions.
法瑞爾·威廉姆斯（Pharrell Williams）的《快樂》、鄉下人（Village People）的《YMCA》、皇后樂隊（Queen）的《波希米亞狂想曲》和《我們是冠軍》都屬于洗腦神曲。

According to the research by the University of St Andrews, the recipe for an earworm has five key components.
圣安德魯斯大學（University of St Andrews）的研究人員稱，制造抓耳歌曲需要滿足五個重要條件。

These are receptiveness - how you feel about the song - predictability, surprise, melodic potency - how good the 'hook' is - and rhythmic repetition.
這五個條件即感受力（你覺得歌曲如何）、預見性、驚喜、旋律的影響力（抓耳的“釣鉤”有多好）和有節奏的重復。

The exact formula was revealed as: Receptiveness + (predictability - surprise) + (melodic potency ) + (rhythmic repetition x 1.5) = earworm.
精確的計算公式是：感受力+（預見性 - 驚喜）+（旋律的影響力）+（有節奏的重復x 1.5) =抓耳歌曲。

Bede Williams, of the University's School of Philosophical, Anthropological and Film Studies, looked at, among other things, a study into the nation's top 20 earworms, commissioned by Heinz to promote their new #cansong TV advert.
該校哲學、人類學和電影研究系的比德·威廉姆斯（Bede Williams）受亨氏公司所托，查看了針對本國前20名抓耳歌曲的研究，以此幫助亨氏改進新的#罐頭曲電視廣告。

Bede, who is also research co-ordinator of the HARK project, which looks at our listening habits, said: "If you look at the songs which emerged from the research, they all have a distinctive rhythmic fingerprint - if we removed the melody they are recognisable by their rhythm alone.
比德還是“聽”項目的研究協調員，該項目探究了人們的聽歌習慣。比德說：“當你傾聽研究項目中的歌曲時，你會發現它們都有獨特的節奏，即使我們去掉旋律，你也可以單憑節奏辨認出那是什么歌?！?/p>

"If you think of the opening of 'We will rock you' or the chorus of 'Who let the dogs out?' you'd be able to identify the rhythmic hook that persists throughout each song independent of the melody.
“如果你回想一下《我們將震撼你》的前奏或《是誰放走了狗》的副歌，你就能辨認出貫穿于整首歌的節奏，它是獨立于旋律之外的。”

"A significant aspect of a successful earworm is also down to a catchy lyric, of which we will all remember for different reasons."
“朗朗上口的歌詞也是抓耳歌曲沖擊熱門的關鍵，我們會因為不同的原因記住這首歌?！?/p>

Top 20 earworms
20首最抓耳的歌曲

（點擊歌曲名可觀看歌曲視頻）

We will rock you - Queen
《我們將震撼你》-皇后樂隊

Happy - Pharrell Williams
《快樂》-法瑞爾·威廉姆斯

We are the Champions - Queen
《我們是冠軍》-皇后樂隊

I'm Gonna Be (500 miles) - Proclaimers
《我將遠涉500英里》-宣告者

YMCA - Village People
《YMCA》–鄉下人

Bohemian Rhapsody - Queen
《波希米亞狂想曲》-皇后樂隊

Final Count Down - Europe
《最后倒計時》-歐洲樂隊

Living on a prayer - Bon Jovi
《活在祈禱中》-邦·喬維

Jingle Bells
《鈴兒響叮當》

Who let the dogs out? - Baha Men
《是誰放走了狗》-巴哈人

Gangnam Style - Psy
《江南style》-樸載相（鳥叔）

Never gonna give you up - Rick Astley
《永不放棄你》-瑞克·艾斯里

Don't stop believin' - Journey
《一定要相信》-旅行樂隊

Uptown funk - Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson
《放克名流》-布魯諾·馬爾斯和馬克·羅森

Shake it off - Taylor Swift
《通通甩掉》-泰勒·斯威夫特

Beat it - Michael Jackson
《避開》-邁克爾·杰克遜

Ruby - Kaiser Chiefs
《紅寶石》-愷撒·切弗斯樂隊

The Time Warp - The Rocky Horror show
《時間扭曲》-洛基恐怖秀

About the bass - Meghan Trainer
《豐滿宣言》-梅根·特瑞娜

Karma Chameleon - Culture Club
《因果變色龍》-文化俱樂部

英文來源：鏡報
翻譯：周瑾（中國日報網愛新聞iNews譯者）
審校&編輯：丹妮