NATIONAL BESTSELLER A Book of the Year Selection for Inc. and Library Journal "This book
picks up where The Tipping Point left off." -- Adam Grant Wharton professor and New York Times
bestselling author of ORIGINALS and GIVE AND TAKE Nothing "goes viral." If you think a popular
movie song or app came out of nowhere to become a word-of-mouth success in today's crowded
media environment you're missing the real story. Each blockbuster has a secret history-of
power influence dark broadcasters and passionate cults that turn some new products into
cultural phenomena. Even the most brilliant ideas wither in obscurity if they fail to connect
with the right network and the consumers that matter most aren't the early adopters but
rather their friends followers and imitators -- the audience of your audience. In his
groundbreaking investigation Atlantic senior editor Derek Thompson uncovers the hidden
psychology of why we like what we like and reveals the economics of cultural markets that
invisibly shape our lives. Shattering the sentimental myths of hit-making that dominate pop
culture and business Thompson shows quality is insufficient for success nobody has "good
taste " and some of the most popular products in history were one bad break away from utter
failure. It may be a new world but there are some enduring truths to what audiences and
consumers want. People love a familiar surprise: a product that is bold yet sneakily
recognizable. Every business every artist every person looking to promote themselves and
their work wants to know what makes some works so successful while others disappear. Hit Makers
is a magical mystery tour through the last century of pop culture blockbusters and the most
valuable currency of the twenty-first century-people's attention. From the dawn of
impressionist art to the future of Facebook from small Etsy designers to the origin of Star
Wars Derek Thompson leaves no pet rock unturned to tell the fascinating story of how culture
happens and why things become popular. In Hit Makers Derek Thompson investigates: · The
secret link between ESPN's sticky programming and the The Weeknd's catchy choruses · Why
Facebook is today's most important newspaper · How advertising critics predicted Donald Trump
· The 5th grader who accidentally launched "Rock Around the Clock " the biggest hit in rock and
roll history · How Barack Obama and his speechwriters think of themselves as songwriters ·
How Disney conquered the world-but the future of hits belongs to savvy amateurs and individuals
· The French collector who accidentally created the Impressionist canon · Quantitative
evidence that the biggest music hits aren't always the best · Why almost all Hollywood
blockbusters are sequels reboots and adaptations · Why one year--1991--is responsible for
the way pop music sounds today · Why another year --1932--created the business model of film
· How data scientists proved that "going viral" is a myth · How 19th century immigration
patterns explain the most heard song in the Western Hemisphere
