General Discussion

yuiyoshida

(41,831 posts) Tue Jun 19, 2018, 01:34 AM Jun 2018

Fucking Hell, I totally agree...

Death threats, earworms and the science behind why Kars4Kids is the most annoying song of all time

There are worse songs in the world. Songs that denigrate women, songs that glorify racism, anything that appeared on Paris Hilton’s album. But in terms of widespread, ubiquitous hate, it’s hard to top the Kars4Kids jingle.

It’s in your head now, isn’t it? All someone has to do is say Kars4Kids and, like Beetlejuice, it is summoned from the depths. Who created this hellish masterwork, the soundtrack that Satan plays on repeat for purgatory’s most unrepentant sinners?

“The original song was written by a volunteer named Kevin in an ad-hoc marketing-brainstorming meeting,” Kars4Kids public relations director Wendy Kirwan says. “... Even those who were involved have only fuzzy recollections of the jingle’s origin. Seriously, no one anticipated the jingle gaining the acclaim it did.”

The website for the jingle (yup, it has its own website) claims that the volunteer’s identity has been left purposely vague due to “multiple death threats.” So if you thought you hated that song more than any human alive, there’s someone out there who hates it more than you.

You could argue most jingles are annoying. But there’s something special about Kars4Kids that cuts into your consciousness. Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis, the director of the Music Cognition Lab at the University of Arkansas, has a few theories as to why Kars4Kids is so damn annoying: its timbre, its use of repetition and its melodic structure.

https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Kars4Kids-charity-jingle-most-annoying-song-ever-9205900.php

15 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

Fucking Hell, I totally agree... (Original Post) yuiyoshida Jun 2018 OP

I thought I was the only one... GReedDiamond Jun 2018 #1

If If I tell u I've never heard it and have no idea what you're referring to, Volaris Jun 2018 #2

ugh... yuiyoshida Jun 2018 #4

Still better than anything Justin Bieber ever did. Dave Starsky Jun 2018 #3

I was on the Bieber hate train in the past as well... blugbox Jun 2018 #5

Compared to Bieber's baby baby baby baby song... Dave Starsky Jun 2018 #6

In that blugbox Jun 2018 #9

Darn It, Yui! ProfessorGAC Jun 2018 #7

This message was self-deleted by its author yuiyoshida Jun 2018 #14

They also don't really publicize where the money goes oberliner Jun 2018 #8

I abandoned radio and television many years ago... hunter Jun 2018 #10

I really hate that the San Francisco Giants and KNBR yuiyoshida Jun 2018 #13

My mute button works mighty fast, so I have avoided infection. I hope. Hekate Jun 2018 #11

I haven't even heard it since I started listening to Sirius XM Blue_Tires Jun 2018 #12

The original that alternates the kid with the douche who thinks he's Johnny Cash is still the worst. Gidney N Cloyd Jun 2018 #15

GReedDiamond

(5,313 posts)

1. I thought I was the only one...

Reply to yuiyoshida (Original post)

Tue Jun 19, 2018, 01:42 AM

Jun 2018

...that was massively repulsed by this jingle.

I even have a car that I might donate to such an organization, but not to Kars4Kids, because of the fucking song!

Volaris

(10,272 posts)

2. If If I tell u I've never heard it and have no idea what you're referring to,

Reply to yuiyoshida (Original post)

Tue Jun 19, 2018, 09:05 AM

Jun 2018

Is that the same a saying 'I've never seen the inside of Pandora's Box, actually.'
Like does it make you obligated to stick it underneath so we can all share in your hellish fate?
If so then OBVIOUSLY I know EXACTLY what you're talking about and how dare you make me think of it again lol...

yuiyoshida

(41,831 posts)

4. ugh...

Reply to Volaris (Reply #2)

Tue Jun 19, 2018, 12:06 PM

Jun 2018

Dave Starsky

(5,914 posts)

3. Still better than anything Justin Bieber ever did.

Reply to yuiyoshida (Original post)

Tue Jun 19, 2018, 09:38 AM

Jun 2018

I'm just sayin'.

blugbox

(951 posts)

5. I was on the Bieber hate train in the past as well...

Reply to Dave Starsky (Reply #3)

Tue Jun 19, 2018, 12:13 PM

Jun 2018

But that faded over time, and I will be the first to say that

Where Are U Now? by Skrillex and Diplo with Bieber is just a freakin cool song, and video!

Kars4Kids is a waking nightmare

Dave Starsky

(5,914 posts)

6. Compared to Bieber's baby baby baby baby song...

Reply to blugbox (Reply #5)

Tue Jun 19, 2018, 03:14 PM

Jun 2018

Kars4Kids is like Stairway to Heaven.

blugbox

(951 posts)

9. In that

Reply to Dave Starsky (Reply #6)

Tue Jun 19, 2018, 05:04 PM

Jun 2018

We can absolutely agree haha!

ProfessorGAC

(65,064 posts)

7. Darn It, Yui!

Reply to yuiyoshida (Original post)

Tue Jun 19, 2018, 03:16 PM

Jun 2018

Now i'm gonna have that stupid song in my head (and that annoying "lead singer" face too).

BTW: Welcome back!

Response to ProfessorGAC (Reply #7)

yuiyoshida This message was self-deleted by its author.

oberliner

(58,724 posts)

8. They also don't really publicize where the money goes

Reply to yuiyoshida (Original post)

Tue Jun 19, 2018, 03:25 PM

Jun 2018

Almost all of it goes to Oorah.

hunter

(38,317 posts)

10. I abandoned radio and television many years ago...

Reply to yuiyoshida (Original post)

Tue Jun 19, 2018, 05:18 PM

Jun 2018

... and have blissfully forgotten that ear worm. It's possibly a side effect of the anti-psychotics I take.

Coincidence, a few days ago I was waiting for a traffic light to change when I heard the start of a Kars4Kid ad from the car next to me.

Instinctively I rolled up the window, turned the AC blower to max, and prayed for the light to change.

Thank God it did, and I slow started enough to let the car with the radio on pull far ahead of me before the jingle started.