Zara Larsson and PinkPantheress’s collaborative track Midnight Sun (Girls Trip) has been named the most inescapable song of 2026 so far, according to new research commissioned by ticketing platform SeatPick. The study analysed 2026’s most-streamed tracks and measured each one against four acoustic markers of earworm potential, assigning a final percentage probability that a given listener would find the song lodged in their head.
Midnight Sun scores highest in the entire dataset, earning an 88.4% earworm probability thanks to its repetition-heavy structure and bright, high-frequency production. The track’s hook-driven arrangement cycles melodic phrases back with unusual regularity, hitting a tempo that researchers describe as sitting squarely in the “sweet spot” for catchiness. The duo are performing together at All Points East on 22nd August in London’s Victoria Park, so festival-goers may want to brace themselves.
Sonny Fodera’s recent collaboration with Chrystal, My Loving, comes in second with an 85.6% earworm probability. The track’s repetitive rhythmic loop kicks in from the opening line, and Chrystal’s circular vocal delivery, which returns to the same phrase with minimal variation, pushes its repetition index to the second highest in the dataset. Bebe Rexha and Faithless round out the top three with New Religion at 84.3%, a collaboration that combines Rexha’s vocal power with the dancefloor-engineered production that has defined Faithless throughout their career.
Louis Tomlinson’s Imposter is the fourth most likely earworm of 2026, with an 80.2% probability. Researchers noted that its notably high harmonic dullness score suggests a deliberately restrained production, putting all emphasis on the vocal hook and making the melody more memorable as a result. Teddy Swims’s Mr. Know It All rounds out the top five at 74.7%, demonstrating that warmth rather than shrillness can still produce a highly effective earworm.
The full top 15 makes for interesting reading across the genres:
| Rank | Song | Artist | Earworm probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Midnight Sun (Girls Trip) | Zara Larsson, PinkPantheress | 88.4% |
| 2 | My Loving | Sonny Fodera & Chrystal | 85.6% |
| 3 | New Religion | Bebe Rexha & Faithless | 84.3% |
| 4 | Imposter | Louis Tomlinson | 80.2% |
| 5 | Mr. Know It All | Teddy Swims | 74.7% |
| 6 | Sleepless in a Hotel Room | Luke Combs | 74.1% |
| 7 | Bring Your Love | Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter | 69.1% |
| 8 | Swim | BTS | 67.6% |
| 9 | Lights Burn Dimmer | Fred again.. & Jamie T | 66.8% |
| 10 | Internet Girl | KATSEYE | 66% |
| 11 | Dying for You | Charli xcx | 62.8% |
| 12 | What’s Done Is Done | Jorja Smith | 62% |
| 13 | drop-dead | Olivia Rodrigo | 61.2% |
| 14 | FIX UR FACE | mgk feat. Fred Durst | 58.7% |
| 15 | Dracula (JENNIE Remix) | Tame Impala, JENNIE | 56.1% |
BTS’s Swim stands out as a statistical outlier. Despite racking up 463 million Spotify streams and an enormous two million TikTok posts, the track scores a relatively modest 67.6% for earworm potential, suggesting that raw popularity and stickiness are not necessarily the same thing. By contrast, Jorja Smith’s What’s Done Is Done has been streamed just 619,638 times, yet still earns a 62% earworm probability based purely on its acoustic properties.
The research was carried out by processing each track through a dedicated earworm index pipeline, measuring repetition, brightness (shrillness), harmonic dullness, and lyrical filler density. Each component produced a score between 0 and 1, combined using a weighted formula (repetition 30%, brightness 20%, harmonic dullness 20%, filler density 20%, baseline 10%), before a logistic sigmoid transformation converted the result into a final percentage. All audio analysis was conducted computationally, with scores reflecting the acoustic properties of the recordings rather than subjective listener panels. Data was collected on 19th May 2026.
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