Hit songs by Elvis Presley, Abba and The Spice Girls are among those being used in research that hopes to unlock the secrets of how memory works.
Researchers from the University of Amsterdam have created an online game in an attempt to shed light on why some tunes get stuck in your head.
Fans must identify song clips and compare them by their catchiness.
The researchers hope the findings will help the understanding of long-term memory and the treatment for dementia.
Dr Ashley Burgoyne of the University of Amsterdam said: “We do know that music has a very powerful effect on memory, more powerful than many other memory triggers. But the reasons for it aren’t completely understood.
“Why is it that there are certain pieces of music that you hear just a couple of times and 10 years later you hear it again, and you may have forgotten the title and the artist, but the music comes back to your immediately?”
