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Apr 01, 2020•39 sec
Song Appeal
What tools can a pop song use to affect us psychologically to make us like the songs more? We'll take a look at everything from music theory, to linguistics, to rhetoric, to applied psychology.
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Episodes
"We Will Rock You" by Queen - Season 3, Episode 07
How powerful is a really good rhythm? In this episode, Isaac Wu helps us learn how the Testing Effect made "We Will Rock You" more memorable. You can find this episode at SongAppealOfficial.com/WeWillRockYou or by searching for Song Appeal on your favorite podcasting app. You can help support this show on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal
May 17, 2019•11 min
"Style" by Taylor Swift - Season 3, Episode 06
What happens when we don't get what we want? Why do we like surprises? In this episode, Claire Arthur helps us see how "Style" by Taylor Swift plays with our expectations to musically surprise us, and how that makes the song more enjoyable. You can find this episode at SongAppealOfficial.com/Style or by searching for Song Appeal on your favorite podcasting app. You can help support this show on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal . Support Song Appeal by donating to the tip jar: https://tips.pinec...
May 10, 2019•13 min
"Unwell" by Matchbox Twenty - Season 3, Episode 05
How much does it really matter which notes a song uses? And how can predictability be a good thing? In this episode, Claire Arthur helps us learn how "Unwell" by Matchbox Twenty sets up expectations through its notes and its intervals, and how it fulfills those expectations. You can find the full transcript for this episode, references, and a link to hear the song at SongAppealOfficial.com/Unwell . You can help support this show on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal . Some music provided by Motiv...
May 03, 2019•11 min
Themes from the Marvel Cinematic Universe - Season 3, Episode 04
How can music change what we think of an experience? In this episode, superhero expert Peter Coogan helps us learn how the MCU themes can be more powerful by being more forgettable. You can find this episode's transcript, references, and links to hear the themes at SongAppealOfficial.com/MCU . You can help support this show on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal , where you'll find great perks including the full version of the interview with Peter Coogan. Selected music provided by RFM: https://yo...
Apr 26, 2019•19 min
"Lost Woods" from Ocarina of Time - Season 3, Episode 03
How much does it really matter which key a song uses? In this episode, 8-bit Music Theory, Ongaku Concept, and Ian Straehley help us learn how the "Lost Woods" theme uses the sound of Lydian to give us a feeling of optimistic anxiety. You can find the full transcript for this episode, the shownotes, and a link to hear the song at SongAppealOfficial.com/LostWoods . You can help support this show on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal . Support Song Appeal by donating to the tip jar: https://tips.pi...
Apr 19, 2019•16 min
"I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" by Whitney Houston - Season 3, Episode 02
When we’re listening to a song, how much does the tune’s structure really matter? In this episode, Bryn Hughes and Anja Cui help us dive into a classic music psychology experiment to show why we like "I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)" by Whitney Houston. You can find the full transcript for this episode, the shownotes, and a link to hear the song at SongAppealOfficial.com . You can help support this show on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal . Support Song Appeal by donating to the tip ...
Apr 12, 2019•19 min
"Mr. Brightside" by The Killers - Season 3, Episode 01
How does "Mr. Brightside" keep its melody interesting while staying on the same note? Learn how in this episode, with the help of Bryn Hughes, Jeremiah Tabb (from the Hype Harmony podcast), and Matthew Scott Phillips (from the Music Student 101 podcast). You can find the full transcript for this episode, the shownotes, and a link to hear the song at SongAppealOfficial.com/MrBrightside . You can help support this show on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal , where you'll find great perks, including...
Apr 05, 2019•18 min
"One Week" by Barenaked Ladies - Season 2, Episode 18
Why do we like "One Week" by Barenaked Ladies? In this finale to Season 2, we wrap up and expand the last few episodes of this season by take a look at how "One Week" gives us novel tunes, then familiar tunes, so it can take advantage of the fluency heuristic to make us like the song more. You can find the full transcript for this episode, references, and a link to hear the song at SongAppealOfficial.com/OneWeek. You can help support this show on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal. Support Song A...
Jan 11, 2019•20 min
"Demons" by Imagine Dragons - Season 2, Episode 17
Why do we like "Demons" by Imagine Dragons? In this episode, we take a look at how the melody focuses on false sequences to create a sense of relative novelty, and how relative novelty makes a song more memorable. You can find the full transcript for this episode, references, and a link to hear the song at SongAppealOfficial.com/Demons. You can help support this show on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal. Support Song Appeal by donating to the tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/songappeal...
Jan 04, 2019•9 min
"Silent Night" - Season 2, Episode 16
Why do we like "Silent Night"? In this episode, we'll take a look at how silences make music more enjoyable. You can find the full transcript for this episode, references, and a link to hear the song at SongAppealOfficial.com/SilentNight. You can help support this show on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal. Support Song Appeal by donating to the tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/songappeal
Dec 21, 2018•11 min
"What Child Is This" - Season 2, Episode 15
Why do we like "What Child Is This?" In this episode, we'll take a look at how the song changes its brightness and what makes a song bright or dark. You can find the full transcript for this episode, references, and link to hear the song at SongAppealOfficial.com/WhatChildIsThis. You can help support this show on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal. Special thanks to 12tone for their help with this episode. If you like Song Appeal, you'll definitely like 12tone's YouTube videos. Support Song Appea...
Dec 14, 2018•10 min
"Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"
Why do we like "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town"? In this episode, we'll take a look at what sequences are, how they're used in this song, and how they fuse familiarity and novelty so we can get the benefits of both. You can find the full transcript for this episode, the shownotes, and a link to hear the song at SongAppealOfficial.com/Santa. You can help support this show on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal. Support Song Appeal by donating to the tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/songappeal...
Dec 07, 2018•14 min
"Life & Death" from Lost - Season 2, Episode 13
What makes "Life & Death" sad? And why do we like sad music? In this episode, we'll take a look at how our minds learn that certain music represents certain ideas, and we'll look at how our brains respond to the mediant chord, the minor third, and a good controlled cry. Special thanks to David Rosen and Brea Murakami for their help with this episode. You can find the full transcript for this episode, the shownotes, and a link to hear this theme at SongAppealOfficial.com/Lost. You can help su...
Nov 30, 2018•15 min
"Stay" by Zedd & Alessia Cara - Season 2, Episode 12
Why do we like "Stay" by Zedd and Alessia Cara? In this episode, we'll take a look at how the song repeated itself to trigger the mere exposure effect without needing to be played over and over. You can find the transcript for this episode, the shownotes, and a link to hear the song at SongAppealOfficial.com/Stay. You can help support this show on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal. Support Song Appeal by donating to the tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/songappeal...
Nov 23, 2018•15 min
"Geronimo" by Sheppard - Season 2, Episode 11
What keeps the chorus of "Geronimo" from being boring? In this episode, we'll take a look at how our brains split this song into 4-bar phrases to make it feel less repetitive. You can find the full transcript for this episode, the shownotes, and a link to hear the song at SongAppealOfficial.com/Geronimo. You can help support this show at Patreon.com/SongAppeal. Support Song Appeal by donating to the tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/songappeal...
Nov 16, 2018•10 min
"Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon - Season 2, Episode 10
Why do we like "Shut Up and Dance" by Walk the Moon? In this episode, we'll take a look at how what this song does to make its title line more memorable through a principle called the "Von Restorff effect". You can find the full transcript for this episode, the shownotes, and a link to hear the song at SongAppealOfficial.com/ShutUpAndDance. You can help support Song Appeal at Patreon.com/SongAppeal. Support Song Appeal by donating to the tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/songappeal...
Nov 09, 2018•9 min
The Twilight Zone - Season 2, Episode 08
Why is The Twilight Zone theme scary? In this episode, we'll take a look at what each interval in the song does to us psychologically to musically represent the feeling of being stuck in a living nightmare, with some help from Jeremiah Tabb, the host of the Hype Harmony podcast. You can find the full transcript for this episode, the shownotes, and a link to hear the theme at SongAppealOfficial.com/TheTwilightZone. You can help support Song Appeal on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal. Support Son...
Oct 26, 2018•13 min
The Halloween Theme - Season 2, Episode 07
What makes the Halloween theme unsettling? In this episode, we'll take a look at a few of the psychological effects of 5/4 time. You can find the full transcript for this episode, the shownotes, and a link to hear the theme at SongAppealOfficial.com/Halloween. We just reached our first Patreon goal, so I'll be putting up the most requested episode pretty soon. You can send in your requests over Twitter (@SongAppeal) or over Facebook by searching for Song Appeal. You can also support this show on...
Oct 19, 2018•11 min
The Friday the 13th Theme - Season 2, Episode 06
Why is the theme from Friday the 13th scary? In this episode, we'll take a look at the psychology and linguistics behind why "ki ki ki" sounds dangerous and evil. You can find the full transcript for this episode, the shownotes, and a link to hear the theme at SongAppealOfficial.com/FridayThe13th. You can also support this show on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal. Support Song Appeal by donating to the tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/songappeal...
Oct 12, 2018•8 min
Jaws Theme - Season 2, Episode 05
What makes the Jaws theme scary? In this episode, we'll dive into how leitmotifs, low notes, accelerandos, and dissonance combine to make us feel like the shark is going to attack. You can find the full transcript for this episode, the shownotes, and a link to hear the song at SongAppealOfficial.com/Jaws. You can also support Song Appeal on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal. Support Song Appeal by donating to the tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/songappeal...
Oct 05, 2018•11 min
The Animaniacs Theme - Season 2 Episode 04
How can a song prepare us for an experience? In this episode, let's take a look at how the lyrics to the Animaniacs theme help us prepare for the show. And in the process, let's see how a song can be better doing the opposite of what previous episodes have recommended. You can find the full transcript for this episode, the shownotes, and a link to hear the song at SongAppealOfficial.com/Animaniacs. You can also support Song Appeal at Patreon.com/SongAppeal. Support Song Appeal by donating to the...
Sep 28, 2018•11 min
"Carryin' the Banner" from Newsies - Season 2 Episode 03
How much can a melody tell us about the character who's singing the song? In this episode, we'll take a look at how the melody from "Carryin' the Banner" shows us that the Newsies aren't experienced and aren't united. You can find the full transcript for this episode, the shownotes, and a link to hear the song at SongAppealOfficial.com/Newsies. You can support SongAppeal on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal. Support Song Appeal by donating to the tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/songappeal...
Sep 21, 2018•13 min
"The Devil Went Down to Georgia" by The Charlie Daniels Band - Season 2 Episode 02
How much does it really matter how a song tells its story? In this episode, we'll hear how Dr. Paul J. Zak discovered a crucial difference neurological difference between "The Devil Went to Georgia" by The Charlie Daniels Band and "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" by Rupert Holmes. You can find the full transcript for this episode, the shownotes, and a link to hear the songs at SongAppealOfficial.com. You can also support Song Appeal at Patreon.com/SongAppeal. Support Song Appeal by donating to th...
Sep 14, 2018•11 min
The Community Theme Song - Season 2 Episode 1
How much does it really matter what key a song is in? Welcome to the Season 2 Premiere of Song Appeal, where we'll take a look at exactly how Community's Mixolydian theme song prepares us for a show that's both wacky and heartfelt. You can support Song Appeal on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal. Support Song Appeal by donating to the tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/songappeal
Sep 07, 2018•15 min
"Wherever You Will Go" by The Calling - Episode 015
Why do we like "Wherever You Will Go" by The Calling? In this episode, we explore how the song uses tension and release to make us enjoy the song more. You can find the full transcript for this episode, the shownotes, and a link to hear the song at SongAppealOfficial.com. You can also support Song Appeal on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal. Support Song Appeal by donating to the tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/songappeal...
Jun 30, 2018•10 min
"All the Pretty Girls" by Kenny Chesney - Episode 014
Why do we like "All the Pretty Girls" by Kenny Chesney? In this episode, we take a look at how it uses two writing tools called "anaphora" and "epistrophe" to make the lyrics easier to remember. You can find the full transcript for this episode, the shownotes, and a link to hear the song at SongAppealOfficial.com/AllThePrettyGirls. You can also support Song Appeal on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal. Support Song Appeal by donating to the tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/songappeal...
Jun 22, 2018•14 min
"The Middle" by Zedd, Maren Morris, and Grey - Episode 013
Why do we like "The Middle" by Zedd, Maren Morris, and Grey? In this episode, we'll take a look at how it feels like it has energy without taking any of the traditional routes to making a song energetic. You can find the full transcript for this episode, the shownotes, and a link to hear the song at SongAppealOfficial.com/TheMiddle. You can also support SongAppeal on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal Support Song Appeal by donating to the tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/songappeal...
Jun 15, 2018•7 min
"Perfect" by Ed Sheeran - Episode 012
Why do we like "Perfect" by Ed Sheeran? In this episode, we take a look at a few things that can make a song romantic, from its rhythm, to its speed, to the order of the chords. You can find the transcript for this episode and the shownotes at SongAppealOfficial.com/PerfectEdSheeran. You can also support Song Appeal on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal.
Jun 08, 2018•10 min
"Something Just Like This" by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay - Episode 010
Why do we like "Something Just Like This" by The Chainsmokers and Coldplay? In this episode, we take a look at how songs make themselves esasy to sing along to through lyrics that are easy to predict and easy to process. You can find the transcript for this episode, the shownotes, and a link to hear the song at SongAppealOfficial.com/SomethingJustLikeThis. You can support Song Appeal on Patreon at Patreon.com/SongAppeal.
May 18, 2018•13 min
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