most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

Ok so you get a sample of 10000 people such that they exactly represent the population of north america and western europe. You play them 5-10 seconds of music, what is the piece that is recognised by the most people?

Without thinking to much about it I'm thinking

na na na nanana na, nanana na, hey jude.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

Star Spangled Banner

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

first 5 seconds of 'Paint It Black' is what it should be

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

I'ma get get get get you drunk, get you love drunk off my hump.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

the opening to Beethoven's 5th

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

the jaws theme was what instantly came to mind but i guess it's not the 'right' answer.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

[ QUOTE ]
the opening to Beethoven's 5th

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Oooh, that's a good one.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

[ QUOTE ]

na na na nanana na, nanana na, hey jude.

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As a kid I would have probably finished it with HEY, HEY, HEY GOODBYE... not "hey jude." [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Star spangled banner, and it's not even close. Americans = idiots that won't get any other anthem.... but a huge, huge % of North Americans/Europeans will get America's.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

Hey gary Glitter comes to mind

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

[ QUOTE ]
the opening to Beethoven's 5th

[/ QUOTE ]

Could work, but OP would have to define the rules more. Is it a simple "Do you recognize this song?" and a yes/no works... or is it "What is the name of the song / Who is the artist" ?

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

On the topic of national anthems, Canada's has to be pretty easy to get, mostly because it opens with O Canada so any idiot should be able to figure it out.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

Layla by Clapton?

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
the opening to Beethoven's 5th

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Could work, but OP would have to define the rules more. Is it a simple "Do you recognize this song?" and a yes/no works... or is it "What is the name of the song / Who is the artist" ?

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More along the lines of what is this song ie name or artist or if it's "ba da ba ba ba I'm lovin it" then saying "that McDonalds thing" would count.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

Happy birthday

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Star spangled banner, and it's not even close. Americans = idiots that won't get any other anthem.... but a huge, huge % of North Americans/Europeans will get America's.

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You give us far too much credit - think the % of Brits getting this from the first 5 seconds would be very very low.

Something like Beethoven's 5th or Handel's Hallelujah Chorus would have a much higher recognition factor.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

"Wish you were here" by Pink Floyd is what it should be.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

I guess recognized as "oh, I know that thing, but I don't know what it's from" is Beethoven's 5th.

If you include being able to name the title I would say some contemporary music is more likely. Your example is actually good, because it includes the title.

I would not say Star Spangled Banner because a lot of Europeans wouldn't be able to connect it to the correct country.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

If you play the first 5 seconds of Young American, a lot of people will turn around expect Hulk Hogan to walk out from behind a curtain.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

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\
More along the lines of what is this song ie name or artist or if it's "ba da ba ba ba I'm lovin it" then saying "that McDonalds thing" would count.

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Yeah, I don't have faith in Americans naming Beethoven.

Star Spangled by a huge margin.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

Smoke on the Water.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Star spangled banner, and it's not even close. Americans = idiots that won't get any other anthem.... but a huge, huge % of North Americans/Europeans will get America's.

[/ QUOTE ]

You give us far too much credit - think the % of Brits getting this from the first 5 seconds would be very very low.

Something like Beethoven's 5th or Handel's Hallelujah Chorus would have a much higher recognition factor.

[/ QUOTE ]

It didn't say first 5 seconds... he said play a clip of 5-10 seconds. I have more faith in the euros than I do the rednecks [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW OUR ANTHEM AFTER WATCHING US DOMINATE EVERY FRIKIN OLYMPIC GAME EVAAAAH!!!

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

Including lyrics gives it away for many songs. If we do it 'Name that Tune' style, the Star Spangled Banner probably runs away with this.

Don't know how English holiday songs go over in Europe, but I'd toss Jingle Bells out there.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Smoke on the Water.

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You took mine.

Uh, Iron Man.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
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Star spangled banner, and it's not even close. Americans = idiots that won't get any other anthem.... but a huge, huge % of North Americans/Europeans will get America's.

[/ QUOTE ]

You give us far too much credit - think the % of Brits getting this from the first 5 seconds would be very very low.

Something like Beethoven's 5th or Handel's Hallelujah Chorus would have a much higher recognition factor.

[/ QUOTE ]

It didn't say first 5 seconds... he said play a clip of 5-10 seconds. I have more faith in the euros than I do the rednecks [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW OUR ANTHEM AFTER WATCHING US DOMINATE EVERY FRIKIN OLYMPIC GAME EVAAAAH!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, didn't realise it could be any 5 seconds, but you're still crediting people here with far too much intelligence. I seriously doubt that if you played the entire Star Spangled Banner to a sample of Brits that more than 50% could correctly identify it (Olympic domination or not).

We have our fair share of rednecks over here too, y'know, we just call them by different names...

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

I think it's "Happy Birthday To You" and also the "William Tell Overture / Theme to Lone Ranger" deserves some consideration.
"Star Spangled Banner" as well obviously.

It is most certainly NOT Hey Jude.
I bet I could go on the street and find 10 teenagers who wouldn't recognize that song nor know that it was by the Beatles.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

Boom Boom Cha
Boom Boom Cha
Boom Boom Cha
Boom Boom Cha

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Star spangled banner, and it's not even close. Americans = idiots that won't get any other anthem.... but a huge, huge % of North Americans/Europeans will get America's.

[/ QUOTE ]

You give us far too much credit - think the % of Brits getting this from the first 5 seconds would be very very low.

Something like Beethoven's 5th or Handel's Hallelujah Chorus would have a much higher recognition factor.

[/ QUOTE ]

It didn't say first 5 seconds... he said play a clip of 5-10 seconds. I have more faith in the euros than I do the rednecks [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW OUR ANTHEM AFTER WATCHING US DOMINATE EVERY FRIKIN OLYMPIC GAME EVAAAAH!!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Sorry, didn't realise it could be any 5 seconds, but you're still crediting people here with far too much intelligence. I seriously doubt that if you played the entire Star Spangled Banner to a sample of Brits that more than 50% could correctly identify it (Olympic domination or not).

We have our fair share of rednecks over here too, y'know, we just call them by different names...

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But what song in Europe can North Americans identify?
I think 90% in NA can identify the anthem, and even 50% in Europe would be enough to put it as #1.

Jingle bells was a good suggestion, but I don't know how popular it is in Europe.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

I'm pretty sure the answer would be Happy Birthday.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

kind of depends on what you mean by "most famous"...

the funky drummer break has been used a ton, and is probably more famous than the amen, but...

the breakdown on the Winstons - Amen My Brother is about 5 seconds long or so, is by far the most sampled piece of music ever, having been used in tons of hip hop songs, pop songs, electronica, even heavy metal, commercials, and jazz. almost no one has heard of the song (if you don't know what i'm talking about, the beat on NWA - Straight outta compton is a clean, fairly straightforeward sample of the Amen Break.) in fact, the amen has it's own genre of electronica.. a form of Drum N Bass called "ragga" where every song is based on the Amen... and there are thousands of these songs released a year. hell, drum and bass itself was mostly based on the Amen, although it has developed a seperation of the years.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

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I think it's "Happy Birthday To You"

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Oooh. I might have to change my vote and go with this.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

how has anyone not said:

stairway to heaven

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
\
More along the lines of what is this song ie name or artist or if it's "ba da ba ba ba I'm lovin it" then saying "that McDonalds thing" would count.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, I don't have faith in Americans naming Beethoven.

Star Spangled by a huge margin.

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He didn't say name it, just recognize it. I think there are probably a number of songs, that would have almost 100% coverage, mostly classical. Do all the countries in western europe sing Happy Birthday? I would be really surprised if they did.

What about the crescendo to that song in 2001? I can't name it unless it's "The Theme from 2001, which it probably is". But I sure recognize. Or I bet Star Wars has pretty wide coverage. Maybe not among grandmothers in Holland or something though.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

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But what song in Europe can North Americans identify?
I think 90% in NA can identify the anthem, and even 50% in Europe would be enough to put it as #1.

Jingle bells was a good suggestion, but I don't know how popular it is in Europe.

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Everyone in UK would know Jingle Bells, but dunno how popular it is in mainland Europe.

Whoever it was that suggested Happy Birthday might be closest to the mark. I think I'm right in saying it's the most sung tune in the entire world. Reckon Star Spangled Banner is well up the list (ie top 5), but could see it getting pipped at the post by something like this.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

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He didn't say name it, just recognize it. I think there are probably a number of songs, that would have almost 100% coverage, mostly classical.

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He explained later on what he meant. I agree, a lot of songs can be close to 100% if it's just "Have you heard this before?" So I think it makes more sense if they are forced to identify the song in some way.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

"Somewhere...over the rainbow..."

That, or "HEY HEY MAMA SAID THE WAY YOU MOVE GONNA MAKE YOU SWEAT GONNA MAKE YOU GROOVE-OVE!"

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

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Do all the countries in western europe sing Happy Birthday? I would be really surprised if they did.

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I don't know about all the countries in western europe in their various languages but it wouldn't surprise me if they did.

My GF's family from Peru sings some spanish version of Happy Birthday that they all have obviously known pretty much forever.
Even her 87 year old grandfather knows all the words so it's not exactly a 'new' import for them.

So if they know it by heart in a 3rd world South American country then it seems pretty likely they would have it in Western Europe.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

How about, (to make it more interesting) just the tune, no words and a no anthem rule. Still have to identify track name or artist or say "the theme from film X or company Y".

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

Then I think you still have "Happy Birthday" as the winner.

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

theme from rawhide

[img]/images/graemlins/smirk.gif[/img]

Re: most famous 5 seconds of music ever?
 

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Then I think you still have "Happy Birthday" as the winner.

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Yup. To make it the most contested, you'd have to exclude Happy Birthday/holiday songs/etc. Pretty much make it a recording artist and their song only.