Britain's top scientists have undertaken to isolate and analyze the "catchiness quotient" that determines and explains why "every summer our charts are invaded by these poppy records that critics hate, but the public love."
Las Ketchup, Los Del Rio, and Le Sir Cliff Richard are among the perpetrators of the catchiest tunes in the world by this reckoning. The catchiness quotient is
based on a number of variables including number of steps in a dance routine; distance in semi-tones between the highest and lowest notes in the chorus; number of chords and promotional spend by the record company.
Is this serious? If so, I'd like to see how non-pop-hits rate on the Catchiness-O-Meter. I mean, Philip Glass doesn't use many chords, and there often aren't many notes between the lowest and top notes. Admittedly, there aren't any dance moves.
Dr_Frank
Oakland, CA
May 2005
SEP 18, 2005 12:25 PM