India, Sept. 14 -- In today's episode of Everyday Explained, we're looking at a strangely familiar experience: getting a song stuck in your head. You may hear a catchy tune once and suddenly find yourself replaying the same chorus while working, travelling or even trying to sleep. But why does the brain do this? Why do some songs get stuck more easily than others? And is there a way to make the music stop? (Also read: Everyday explained: Why do your fingers wrinkle in water? )

An earworm is a short piece of music that plays repeatedly in your mind without you intentionally recalling it. The scientific term is involuntary musical imagery (INMI). According to the Cleveland Clinic, it is usually not an entire song but a catchy hook, chorus ...