Theory of Song Popularity

After being repeatedly blasted by Pharrell William's "Happy" on the radio over the past couple of months, it occurred to me why this song, and so many other ones throughout the past decade, have been so successful.

Songs like this one become popular for a single reason: a one-word catchphrase that is used as the song's title, and is drilled into our minds with a catchy chorus created around constant repetition of that word.  So essentially, I believe songs whose titles have only one word in their names have a higher chance of for success.

I'm no scientist, nor am I capable of proving my theory with numbers and statistics, but I truly believe that my argument is valid on the grounds that many of the "one-word wonders" are still popular with the people, even after their peak, and are still used for different purposes in today's media.

Here are the first seven songs that came to my mind when I thought of this theory, and why they support my argument:

• "Happy" (2013) by Pharrell Williams - "Happy" is the best example.  It has been used for YouTube videos, and commercials to give the viewer a positive vibe towards what they are watching.  What's interesting is that Pharrell (before his latest album) was known as a rapper, not a pop singer.  I think he knew that a song like this would change the game for him, even if it meant changing his style.
• "Magic" (2010) by B.O.B. - The keyword used here is 'magic'.  The lyrics of the song are rapped fast, but in the song's chorus the word is constantly repeated in a singalong fashion, allowing for people to follow what is being said.  Since the chorus of the song is so adored because of how upbeat and whimsical it is, most people remember the song for its chorus four years later.  This is also why in the 2013 movie Pitch Perfect, the song is used in one of the final performances.
• "O.M.G." (2009) Usher ft. Will.i.am - The phrase "OMG" is never actually said in the song.  The song's title is shortened to this acronym since it is much easier to remember and to repeat, instead of the three worded "oh my god".  At its height, this song reached #2 on the Billboard Pop-songs chart, and is still regularly played on various radio stations.
• "Roar" (2013) Katy Perry - Looking at Katy Perry's song title names, it seems that she understands the importance of simple song titles, with names such as: "Peacock", "Firework", "Birthday", and "E.T." (abbreviated for Extra-Terrestrial).  "Roar" reached number Billboard Top 10, and maintained a position there for many weeks.  It is also constantly played on the radio, even today.
• "Brave" (2013) Sara Bareilles - The song serves many purposes in today's media.  It's a catchy song, with lyrics that base around, well, being brave.  The theme of the song allows it to be used for many different reasons today, and also giving it an opportunity to have relevance in the future.
• "Unwritten" (2004) Natasha Bedingfield - I like to call this song the "Graduation Song".  After its 2004 release, it peaked at #3 on US Adult Top 40.  10 years later, it maintains relevance in today's world because of the strong words in the chorus that can be used to express heading into the future and controlling one's own destiny.  Basing a song around reminding people that their future will be what they decide it will be means it will always hold relevance and will stand the test of time, as it has so far.
• "Yeah!" (2004) Usher - I would guess that this song has probably been the most played song at parties and clubs since its release 10 years ago.  Literally half of the words spoken in the song are "yeah", which is constantly repeated throughout the song.  Ya it's simple, but it's really catchy.
• "Low" (2007) Flo Rida - Another clubbing song, "Low" was Billboard's #1 song of the year.  It is also Billboard's All-time #25 song, meaning it will be considered a hip-hop classic in the distant future.  This song is popular (mostly in the club-scene) because the song is all about dancing with a beautiful, sexy girl who gets low.  The word is repeated constantly and is emphasized in the song.  When it's broken down the lyrics are good and the repetitive chorus is even better, but really simple.

Of the songs listed, they all have something in common that no one would think- they all have 100% clean lyrics.  Although some may be suggestive, at no point in any of these songs are profanities spoken. The majorities of these artists above have other, not as popular, songs that are filled with profanities.  But I believe that the artists were aware of the impending success of these songs and knew that if they were kid-friendly, they'd attract a whole new audience.

Pay attention for other songs that are not listed.  There are plenty that are out there, but it just takes an aware mind to realize the simplicity of them.