What's the hook - How to play

1. Play each clip by clicking the A or B button
2. The dial will indicate which track is playing
3. Listen to both the clips from different parts of the same song (around 15 seconds each)
4. Decide which is catchier and listen again if you need to
5. Press submit when you have decided

Recognise that tune - How to play

1. Listen to the clip and press yes the moment that you recognise the track
2. Hum or sing along (in your head if you wish) from the moment you click yes. The track will mute for 4 seconds
3. Were you in sync when the track came back in? You have to be accurate to the second
4. Sometimes it will come back in at the wrong place
5. Keep playing as long as you can – the more you play the more points you gain

Time trial - How to play

1. You have 3 minutes
2. Try and recognise as many songs as possible (music will play from each decade)
3. When you hum or sing along you have to be accurate to the second
4. It's all about speed so click yes as soon as you recognise a track

In a row - How to play

1. Try to recognise as many songs in a row as you can (music will play from each decade)
2. When you hum or sing along you have to be accurate to the second
3. As soon as you miss a track, your game will end

All Songs

Fast data connection required

Previous song:

0pt

What's the hook

Previous song:

0pt

Get ready
 

Previous song:

0pt

Try to sing along
if you can

0pt

Do you really know
this song?

0pt

Did it restart
in the right place?

0pt

Which is more catchy?

Listen to the other clip

Now choose the catchiest

0pt

Results

pt

Your score for this round

Overall points: 0

Challenge your friends

The Science of Songs

Everyone knows a hook when they hear one, but scientists don't know why.

By playing the #HookedOnMusic game you are exploring the science of songs and helping scientists unlock what makes music catchy.

#HookedonMusic is a citizen science experiment involving Manchester Science Festival, proudly produced by the Museum of Science & Industry, Manchester, in association with the University of Amsterdam. In devising an online game for all to enjoy scientists are harnessing the wisdom of the crowd to understand and quantify the effect of catchiness on musical memory and then predict the catchiest fragments of music. Armed with this knowledge, scientists can devise 'smarter musical thumbnails' to help people remember the content of a song, triggering past memories for those who remember it and helping to form new memories for those listening to the song for the first time.

Our scientists, Dr John Ashley Burgoyne and Professor Henkjan Honing from the University of Amsterdam, will analyse the data to unlock the secret of hooks. The results of the game have the potential to inform and provide insights into what makes music memorable, in particular, what makes music memorable over the long-term and follow up studies could explore whether there are stronger therapeutic effects from choosing catchy music.

FAQs

How was the genre of music picked?

The aim was to get a high proportion of easily recognisable tracks so it was decided to use pop music.

Why are there different decades?

In order to engage a large cross-section of the population there had to be music to suit everyone.

How was the music picked per decade?

The top 50 selling tracks from each decade were chosen, sold during that period.

How much music is there in the system?

There are 276 tracks divided into around 1,000 clips so if you pick the "All" category you can play "Recognise that Tune" over a thousand times before hearing everything.

I keep hearing repeats – why is that?

You will not hear the same clip right after the first. If it sounds similar it would be because it is from another part of the same song. However due to the random selection process you might hear the clip again later in the game.

I seemed to hear a lot of Beatles tracks?

In the 60s category there are many Beatles tracks since the Beatles dominated the charts in the 60s.

Is the game listening to my singing?

The game only uses timing, it doesn't listen to your singing or record it.

How do the points tally with the Achievement section?

There are achievements for all the different genres. How many can you gain?

Why do I have to press the button immediately on recognising the tune?

We are testing the speed of memory recall and so it is vital that you press the button at the moment the whole track is called to mind.

What is the point of the game?

This a citizen science experiment designed to harness the wisdom of the crowd to better understand musical memory and may be used for further research into dementia and Alzheimer's.

Credits

The #HookedOnMusic project would like to thank the following partners for their help and support in making this game happen:

With thanks to Fabrice Bourgelle.

Terms

#HookedOnMusic is copyright the Museum of Science & Industry and is powered by the science from the University of Amsterdam, Utrecht University and the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision. The data from this experiment will be shared publicly with an open access license. No personally identifying information is recorded or stored.

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