Hit Makers
The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction
Lavin Exclusive Speaker
How is technology changing the future? What are the economic forces shaping the cultural market? And how does the media manipulate our most valuable resource—our attention—in the twenty-first century? These are the questions that Derek Thompson, staff writer at The Atlantic, author of national bestseller Hit Makers, and host of the podcast Plain English, explores in his captivating, award-winning work. Coupling his dry wit and journalistic insight, Thompson interprets the invisible factors that capture attention, impact consumer spending, and influence business.
Thompson is a staff writer at The Atlantic, where he writes about issues ranging from the consumer habits of millennials to the economics of entertainment. His landmark cover story “A World Without Work,” offered a wide-ranging exploration of the future of artificial intelligence and employment, and how Americans might cope with a jobless future. Thompson has a unique way of clarifying the biggest technological, economic, political, and cultural trends of the moment, and interpreting what they might mean for our futures. For example, his story “America Is Running on Fumes” weaves a surprising connection between a lack of cutting-edge exploration in science, 40 years of technological stagnation, and the decline of originality in Hollywood blockbusters—today mostly comprised of sequels and superhero movies. Original and prescient, his writing has earned him a Best in Business Award for Columns and Commentary from the Society of American Business Editors and Writers. Thompson is just as engaging on his podcast Plain English, where he cogently breaks down the weekly headlines in an attempt to cut through the noise, and his newsletter Work in Progress: an exploration of the world’s biggest mysteries, especially as they pertain to the future of work and human progress in science, technology, happiness, and beyond. “My job is to notice when I’m curious, and to notice when I’m confused, and to turn those noticings into words, and to hope that people enjoy reading the crystallization of a quietly shared curiosity,” Thompson explains.
In his debut book Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction, Thompson shows us why blockbuster success isn’t a matter of chance, but a fascinating intersection of power, network, science, art, and sheer brilliance—making some ideas disappear, and others explode. In an age of distraction, human attention is our most valuable currency; and in this groundbreaking study, Thompson reveals the ways songwriters, advertisers, filmmakers, speech writers, and more have all realized this modern secret of enormous popularity. His keynotes on the subject offer practical ways to rethink what you know about fame, success, and longevity. Since its release, Hit Makers has been hailed by critics as a “wonderful book … [filled with] solid research, ready wit, and catchy aphorisms” (USA Today) and “a fun, thought-provoking take on the strange turns of cultural fortune” (Publishers Weekly). To bestselling author Adam Alter, it’s “a bible for anyone who’s ever tried to promote practically anything, from products, people, and ideas, to books, songs, films, and TV shows.”
Thompson hosts The Atlantic’s podcast Crazy/Genius, which was nominated for an iHeartMedia Best Podcast in its first year, and is a weekly contributor to “Here and Now,” the national afternoon news show on NPR. He is a regular guest on CBS, the BBC, and MSNBC, has appeared on Inc and Forbes’ “30 Under 30” round-up, as well as Time magazine’s 140 Best Twitter Feeds.