Why Taylor Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia” Is Scientifically Impossible to Forget

The Surprising Science Behind Why Taylor Swift’s New Songs Are Stuck in Everyone’s Head

The Earworm Effect
If Taylor Swift’s new single “The Fate of Ophelia” keeps replaying in your mind, you’re not alone. Scientists say there’s a reason for it. These catchy melodies are known as earworms — songs that repeat in your head without effort.

Susan Rogers, who teaches music cognition at Berklee Online, explains that earworms happen when your brain replays a song as if it’s still playing. The auditory cortex — the brain region that processes sound — fires up to recreate rhythm and melody from memory. Simple and repetitive tunes are easier to store, which is why some songs feel impossible to forget. Even a small trigger, like a word or image, can bring one back.

Why “The Fate of Ophelia” Works So Well
Experts say “The Fate of Ophelia” checks every earworm box. Scarlet Keys, a songwriting professor at Berklee College of Music, explains that the song combines catchy rhythms, lyrical repetition, and smooth melodic patterns that make it hard to forget.

Scarlet Keys, a songwriting professor at Berklee College of Music, notes that the song combines rhythmic repetition, lyrical balance, and smooth melodic motion.

What’s the Catch?

Swift’s lyrics use small rhymes and asyndetons — phrases such as “on the land, the sea, the sky” — that sound pleasing to the ear. The melody rises and falls in a way that feels natural and satisfying. The tempo is upbeat, and the rhythm is predictable, which makes it easy for anyone to sing along. “A 4-year-old, a drunk guy in a bar, and an 85-year-old could all get in on this,” Keys said. That mix of simplicity and catchiness is what keeps it stuck in your head.

How to Break the Earworm Loop
If “The Fate of Ophelia” won’t stop replaying, experts say you can interrupt the loop. Try focusing on something that demands attention, like writing, reading, or exercise. Playing a different song can also help. Some research even shows that chewing gum reduces musical repetition.

Susan Rogers recommends a trick she learned while touring with Prince: sing a purposely bad tune, like “Tonight We’re Going To Rock You” by Spinal Tap. It replaces the earworm with something so offbeat that your brain moves on.