Posted on 09/29/2011 7:31:32 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
Queen's We Are The Champions has been voted the catchiest pop song of all time – by a team of academics.
The scientists observed thousands of volunteers to find out why certain songs inspired unabashed wedding guests and clubbers to belt out their favourites in public. Singalong hits had four key elements, they concluded: long and detailed musical phrases, multiple pitch changes in a song’s ‘hook’, male vocalists and higher male voices making a noticeable vocal effort.
Top singalongs include Village People’s YMCA, Sum 41’s Fat Lip, Europe’s The Final Countdown and The Automatic’s Monster.
Musical hits rely on ‘maths, science, engineering and technology’, said Dr Daniel Mullensiefen of Goldsmiths University, London.
Researchers solved the karaoke conundrum after observing thousands of volunteers as they lent their voices to a long list of tunes.
Using this formula, the researchers then compiled a list of the 10 most singalongable hits. Number One was 'We are the Champions' by rock group Queen.
Taking the next five places in the sing-along chart were Y.M.C.A by Village People, Fat Lip by Sum 41, The Final Countdown by Europe, and Monster by The Automatic.
Dr Daniel Mullensiefen said: 'Every musical hit is reliant on maths, science, engineering and technology; from the physics and frequencies of sound that determine pitch and harmony, to the hi-tech digital processors and synthesisers which can add effects to make a song more catchy.
'We’ve discovered that there’s a science behind the sing-along and a special combination of neuroscience, maths and cognitive psychology can produce the elusive elixir of the perfect sing-along song.
'We hope that our study will inspire musicians of the future to crack the equation for the textbook tune.' The findings were released to coincide with the final call for entries to the 2012 National Science & Engineering Competition
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
RE: Could someone explain what a song’s “hook” is to me please. I’ve heard the term before, but don’t really understand it. Thanks.
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A hook is a musical idea, often a short riff, passage, or phrase, that is used in popular music to make a song appealing and to “catch the ear of the listener”.
It’s a lyrical line or melodic phrase that makes the song memorable.
The term generally applies to popular music, especially rock music, hip hop, dance music, and pop. In these genres, the hook is often found in, or consists of, the chorus.
Here are some examples:
I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston -
“And I will always love you
I will always love you”
You’re Beautiful by James Blunt
“You’re beautiful, you’re beautiful
You’re beautiful it’s true”
No silly, it’s Bye Bye Miss American Pie by Don McLean.
Or “I LIKE BIG BUTTS”
Bah! It’s the dingleberry of a fantastic hit...”We Will Rock You.”
New York, London, Paris, Munich
Everybody talkin’ bout Mmm Pop Muzik...
Not “Naked Eye” by the Who?
RE: Or “I LIKE BIG BUTTS”
Aren’t you confusing the above with a real Queen hit : FAT BOTTOMED GIRLS?
See here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMnjF1O4eH0
Greatest anthem ever. I skated through high school paper hoops (hockey) to it from 1978-1981.
Good Vibrations - The Beach Boys.
I Love L.A. - Randy Newman
L.A. Woman - The Doors
There are many more that come to mind. I think all the songs I listed so far have a hook.
I really don't care for Queen. Never have.
Brian May, Queen's guitarist and one of the group's songwriters, ended up getting a Ph.D. in astrophysics.
Forgot one.
Pass the Bill - Barack Obama.
Oh thanks Seek, very much appreciated. :)
Catchiest? What about Rebecca Black’s “Friday”? No one had ever heard of her before she cut it, but something about the tune caused it to get some ungodly number of YouTube views.
Catchiest doesn’t necessarily mean good.
REBECCA BLACK’s ‘Friday’ has been taken to new heights by ADULTS.
See the Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon and Taylor Hicks version of this song:
http://www.aoltv.com/2011/04/02/stephen-colbert-sings-friday-on-late-night-with-jimmy-fallon/
Piano Man not the biggest singalong song? I beg to differ...
Great hooks - Johnny Cash - I Been Everywhere, Man. and Because Youre Mine, I Walk the Line.
I always loved it. The guitar work was fabulous. I liked Freddie Mercury, too (to hear, not to see).
But if I ever win the lottery I’m going to pay a hit man to get whatever idiot did The Final Countdown. As far as I can determine there are only three words to the lyrics. If I hear that again I’m going to get dangerous. It’s amazing that you can sell a song that consists of yelling the same three words over and over again. It’s worse than rap.
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