New data analysis has officially identified ‘Feliz Navidad’ by José Feliciano as the Christmas song most likely to become an ‘earworm’ this festive season. Experts at SeatPick analysed the most popular festive tracks to measure their repetition, shrillness, and harmonic dullness, creating an ‘Earworm Intensity Score’ to see which tunes are causing the most seasonal stress.
As mid-December approaches, research suggests that one in five people are already sick of Christmas songs due to the constant rotation of the same dozen tracks in shops and on the commute. José Feliciano’s 1970 hit claimed the top spot with a perfect 10/10 intensity score. The study found the track to be a “recipe for the perfect earworm” due to its highly repetitive structure; the phrase ‘Feliz Navidad’ is repeated 21 separate times, while the line ‘I wanna wish you a merry Christmas’ loops 18 times within the three-minute song.
Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Underneath the Tree’ took the second spot with a score of 9.8/10. Despite being a modern classic released 12 years ago, the track’s high frequencies and feel-good tune make it a prime candidate for getting stuck in listeners’ heads. It was followed closely by Shakin’ Stevens’ ‘Merry Christmas Everyone’, which ranked highly for ‘shrillness’ and uses distinct bells to trigger nostalgia, a key factor in encouraging earworms.
The top 10 Christmas songs most likely to become earworms are:
- Feliz Navidad – José Feliciano (Earworm Intensity: 10/10)
- Underneath the Tree – Kelly Clarkson (9.8/10)
- Merry Christmas Everyone – Shakin’ Stevens (9.8/10)
- Santa Tell Me – Ariana Grande (8.9/10)
- Snowman – Sia (8.5/10)
- Mistletoe – Justin Bieber (8.5/10)
- Last Christmas – Wham! (8.3/10)
- Hallelujah – Pentatonix (8/10)
- Wonderful Christmastime – Paul McCartney (7.3/10)
- Run Rudolph Run – Chuck Berry (6.7/10)
Researchers noted that earworms are statistically more likely to be songs that are faster, simpler, and possess catchy melodies. However, individual personality traits also play a role, with those who are anxious, self-conscious, or possess obsessive-compulsive traits being more predisposed to getting tunes stuck on a loop. With 90% of people experiencing earworms at least once a week, the constant radio play of these tracks makes them difficult to avoid.
For those struggling to get José Feliciano or Kelly Clarkson out of their heads, SeatPick has highlighted three evidence-based strategies. The first is to fight music with music. Music psychologist Dr Kelly Jakubowski recommends a specific 40-second track known as The Earworm Eraser. This scientifically engineered audio features patterns and rhythmic structures designed to disrupt the neural patterns keeping the catchy tune stuck on repeat.
A second method involves distracting the brain with a “mental workout.” A 2011 study found that engaging in cognitively demanding tasks—such as Sudoku, word searches, or difficult crosswords—significantly reduced the intensity of earworms. The key is to choose an activity requiring active concentration rather than passive entertainment, making it difficult for the brain to mentally replay the music.
Finally, a surprisingly simple solution is to chew gum. Research from Durham University indicates that the rhythmic motion of chewing gum can reduce earworm frequency by around one-third. The act of chewing interferes with “subvocalisation,” which is the inner speech mechanism the brain uses to mentally rehearse melodies.