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The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction
Penguin Press
February 2017
On Sale: February 7, 2017
349 pages
ISBN: 110198032X
EAN: 9781101980323
Kindle: B01HNJIJ58
Hardcover / e-Book
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Non-Fiction | Non-Fiction Philosphy
โThis 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 โgoes viral.โ If you think a popular movie, song, or app came out of nowhere to become a word-of-mouth success in todayโs crowded media environment, youโre missing the real story. Each blockbuster has a secret historyโof 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 centuryโpeopleโs 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: ยท The secret link between ESPN's sticky programming and the The Weeknd's catchy choruses ยท Why Facebook is the worldโs most important modern newspaper ยท How advertising critics predicted Donald Trump ยท The 5th grader who accidentally launched "Rock Around the Clock," the biggest hit in rock and roll history ยท How Barack Obama and his speechwriters think of themselves as songwriters ยท How Disney conquered the worldโbut the future of hits belongs to savvy amateurs and individuals ยท The French collector who accidentally created the Impressionist canon ยท Quantitative evidence that the biggest music hits arenโt always the best ยท Why almost all Hollywood blockbusters are sequels, reboots, and adaptations ยท Why one year--1991--is responsible for the way pop music sounds today ยท Why another year --1932--created the business model of film ยท How data scientists proved that โgoing viralโ is a myth ยท How 19th century immigration patterns explain the most heard song in the Western Hemisphere
 Media BuzzNews at 4: Wednesday Reads - February 8, 2017
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