"What is that melody?" is one of the latest absurdist memes sweeping TikTok. The creepy sound effect comes from the unhinged video game character Sigma in Overwatch 2. In this in-depth article, we‘ll trace the origins of the viral meme, analyze why it resonates so strongly, explore popular examples, and explain how to harness its power in your own content. Let‘s break down the enigmatic psychology behind "What is that melody?"
The Complex Character Behind the Meme
To understand this meme, we must first get to know its source – the fascinating yet troubled character of Sigma. Sigma is an astrophysicist from the Netherlands who gained control over gravity after a failed experiment. The accident left him mentally fractured, hearing melodies and voices that aren‘t there.
In the game Overwatch 2, Sigma serves as a "tank" character with powerful abilities. His ultimate move, Gravitic Flux, briefly lifts enemies into the air before slamming them down. When Sigma activates this move, he utters the line "What is that melody?" in an ominous, haunting tone.
This short bit of decontextualized audio is where our meme begins. But the complexity of Sigma‘s backstory gives the sound extra depth. He‘s a genius who paid a heavy price for progress – losing his grip on reality. The line refers to Sigma‘s mental instability as he hears a "melody" that doesn‘t exist.
Memes often derive humor from subverting originally serious source material. In this case, TikTokers rescue an unsettling line of dialogue and repurpose it for absurdist comedy. Sigma may be volatile, but his voice line is comedy gold.
The Meme‘s Meteoric Rise on TikTok
In late 2022, the "What is that melody?" soundbite went mega-viral on TikTok. The audio was a perfect storm – short, creepy, and dripping with comedic potential. TikTok creators began adding it to videos depicting fictional, over-the-top scenarios.
When used reactively, the sound effect heightens the absurdity of the situation. As one popular example shows, hearing the line after seeing a random person shout it on the street adds surprise and hilarity.
Part of what makes this meme genius is its versatility. It can be applied to any hypothetical, no matter how ridiculous. Whether hearing boss music out of nowhere or witnessing an alligator on the subway, the meme adds punch.
Statistics show the remarkable penetration of this sound. As of November 2022, TikTok videos using the audio had amassed over 780 million views and counting. Searching the hashtag #whatisthatmelody brings up over 119,000 results.
The meme also inspired creative variations. In one video mocking dated slang, a rapper says he "cannot FaceTime his girl because he has Samsung." The timing of the audio after this ridiculous line is comedic gold.
This meme also surpassed language barriers through its simple, recognizable format. Portuguese TikTokers shared the meme with captions like "Quando esqueço o nome da música" ("When I forget the song name"). The emotional experience of forgetting a tune crosses cultures.
The Psychological Appeal of Absurdist Memes
But what exactly makes this meme so irresistibly funny, sharable, and ripe for virality?
Absurdist humor thrives on platforms like TikTok. As media psychologist Dr. Pamela Rutledge explained in an interview, short-form video apps condition our brains to expect constant novelty. Memes like "What is that melody?" deliver surprise and unpredictability, fulfilling our appetite for stimulation.
Decontextualizing audio also engages our pattern recognition abilities. We instinctively try to make sense of the sound bite‘s meaning when paired with an unexpected image or scenario. This gap between audio and context triggers a rewarding "aha" moment.
As Dr. Rutledge notes, humorous memes allow us to play with ideas and wordplay, creating a sense of social belonging through inside jokes. Viral sounds like this one become shorthands that communicate shared cultural knowledge.
Absurdist memes also provide an escape from stress and the weight of reality. By depicting bizarre hypotheticals, they create moments of harmless chaos we can laugh at together.
On a neurological level, laughter releases dopamine and endorphins, lightening our mood. So beyond just entertainment, memes like "What is that melody?" offer real mental health benefits. Our brains are wired to seek out this short-form comedy content as a coping mechanism.
Maximizing the Meme: Lessons for Brands
For marketers, capitalizing on organic memes can be tempting but tricky. Consumers have a keen nose for inauthenticity. How can brands harness viral sounds in a way that feels fresh rather than forced?
Social media expert Ayumi Yasuda recommends striking while the meme is hot, but with a creative spin:
"Brands need to put their own original stamp on trending memes rather than just replicating the same old formats. The goal should be contributing something new that taps into why that meme resonated so deeply in the first place."
Rather than just reposting a viral meme verbatim, brands can adapt it to fit their unique brand voice and community.
Our brains appreciate humor, but forced gimmicks can backfire. The most effective approach is to add your own twist while retaining the core recognition points that made the meme spread. This balances novelty with familiarity.
Subverting expectations is key. Brands need to mimic the paradigm of meme culture – take something established, and flip it in a way people won‘t see coming. This could mean putting an absurdist spin on your usual content style or associating the meme with something unrelated to catch viewers off guard.
Successful meme marketing strikes a balance between connecting to viral trends and showcasing authentic creativity.
Download the Sound for Your Own Creations
Want to integrate this sound into your own TikTok, YouTube, or Instagram videos? You can download the "What is that melody?" effect here:
[Download Link]The sound effect is completely free to use for non-commercial purposes. No need to ask permission or provide attribution.
Now it‘s your turn – what ridiculous hypothetical can you pair this sound with to create shareable comedic gold? Get creative and subvert expectations to maximize the humor.
That Melody Lingers in Our Minds
In the short span of a few months, "What is that melody?" exploded from an obscure voice line into one of TikTok‘s most ubiquitous memes. It‘s proven versatile, hilarious, and addictively replayable across languages and cultures.
But why does this particular sound resonate so powerfully? The meme‘s humor derives from subverting the context of Sigma‘s unsettled mental state. TikTokers rescue an unnerving line and transform it into an absurdist comedic Swiss Army knife.
On a psychological level, the meme scratches our itch for novelty, surprise, and playful chaos. In a world that often feels bleak, distilling memes down to their most viral elements allows us to access joy on tap. Laughter provides a cathartic release.
For brands, organic memes represent opportunities to flaunt creativity. Capitalizing on trends requires striking the right balance between tapping into viral nostalgia and showing originality. Marketers shouldn‘t just replicate formats – the goal is to contribute something new with your unique twist.
At its core, "What is that melody?" represents the human longing for levity. In a fractured world, we instinctively seek out bitesize moments of harmless absurdity and connection. So let this simple melody continue playing on loop in the collective hivemind. All it takes is a few haunted notes to spark joy.
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