What Kind of Songs Are Most Often Played on Repeat

Rationally speaking, we all understand that even the best melody can’t withstand being played over and over. But sometimes you come across a great song and simply can’t stop putting it on repeat.

So, what kind of songs do people most often play on repeat?

A music-psychology study freshly published this January revealed some patterns. Through a survey, the researchers found that three kinds of songs are especially likely to be played on repeat—

The first is the kind with a strong beat: a leg-shaking banger. Like Blurred Lines, whose melody makes it impossible to sit still after just the first two seconds.

The second is the slow, soothing kind: calming songs. Exactly the opposite of the first, these melodies help people feel peaceful and relaxed.

But neither of those two comes close to the third kind in number of repeat plays—

bittersweet music.

Songs that leave you teary-eyed while also making you feel healed or filled with strength are the true kings of repeat listening.

Why?

Leg-shaking bangers and calming songs seem to create only relatively shallow emotional resonance between listeners and music. Only bittersweet songs can trigger deep emotional resonance in listeners—produce deep connections. It seems that when people listen to music, this is precisely the kind of emotional resonance they crave most.

What counts as bittersweet? It’s hard to define. But you’ll know it when you hear it.
The Brightest Star in the Night Sky (Yekong Zhong Zui Mingliang de Xing) by Escape Plan and Chasing the Dream with a Childlike Heart (Zhui Meng Chizi Xin) by GALA should both be fairly typical examples of bittersweet songs, I’d say.

Anyway, enough talk. I’m off to play Chasing the Dream with a Childlike Heart (Zhui Meng Chizi Xin) on repeat.

p.s.

The study mentioned in the article: Conrad, F., Corey, J., Goldstein, S., Ostrow, J., & Sadowsky, M. (2018). Extreme re-listening: Songs people love… and continue to love. Psychology of Music, 0305735617751050.

This article also drew on a Research Digest article published in 2018, titled “Psychologists have explored why we sometimes like listening to the same song on repeat.”

Note

• This short popular-science piece from the Psychology Bites series was written in connection with Zhichao Wei: Psychology Bites. It was published on the now-closed platform Fantu, and the original link no longer exists.