What makes a 'catchy' song ?

Kerplunk · 2 Jan 2013 at 20:42

Just heard Gangnam Style for the millionth time, lol, and no doubt it is catchy, but just wondering what actually makes a song catchy, because surely if you can master that, you have got a winner on your hands ? £££££££££

SexyGreyFox · 2 Jan 2013 at 22:00

C Am F G

G Em C D

and variants

Vonhelmet · 2 Jan 2013 at 22:07

Dimple is massively oversimplifying, but musically speaking, he's right. We like musical phrases and chord sequences that resolve in a pleasing fashion. We also like certain timbres and combinations of timbres. Lyrically, we like rhymes and wordplay.

Also, read This Is Your Brain On Music.

cm1179 · 2 Jan 2013 at 22:21

anything based on an arrangement of pachelbel's 'canon in D'

SexyGreyFox · 2 Jan 2013 at 23:26

cm1179 said:
anything based on an arrangement of pachelbel's 'canon in D'

Dimple said:
and variants

SexyGreyFox · 2 Jan 2013 at 23:29

Funnily enough I love Take That's Rule The World (or Barry Garlow) and I decided to sit down to learn it last night.
Anybody who plays a keyboard will instantly smile when I mention these chords:
Am Em Dm C & F

Simplicity at it's best, never having to move your fingers apart or hit a black note.