This is an earworm of the worst kind. The inescapable, empty-headed, athletes-flogging-stuff, music-based advertisement that turns out to be nearly inescapable.

I despise it, but it for weeks now it comes up ahead of every video clip shown on espn.com. I go to a story, and I have to hover over the “pause” key for several seconds to see Lonzo Ball sink a three.

(Which makes me want to punch some ESPN exec in the face; just kidding, of course.)

It is a spot for headphones made by Beats by Dre … and watching flickering images of athletes like Serena Williams, LeBron James (and a bunch of soccer guys you really don’t need to know) celebrating, to the tune of “Seven Nation Army” by the White Stripes.

And now I’m humming the guitar riff while I walk through the countryside … and really wishing I weren’t.

Doing stories about newly released commercials is a “thing” with English newspapers and their websites.

Thus, when this thing came out, back in December, half a dozen low-end newspapers rushed to post it on their websites, calling it an “incredible … staggering” advert (Brit usage) featuring a “ridiculous number of world superstars”.

Well, yeah, a lot of images flicker on and off (check the video, and count them; I won’t do it), but mostly they represent guys celebrating. It looks as if only a handful actually are wearing the headphones — led by Serena and LeBron. Which makes the commercial less staggering and more about getting the rights for video of a bunch of guys.

Whatever. I don’t begrudge sports celebrities fattening their bank accounts in random ways. Especially when all they are doing is allowing some video of their careers to be used.

What does bother me is how espn.com is holding video hostage — here in France, at least — to the same silly song.