Podcasts about hit makers the science

I first heard of the movie Blackboard Jungle while reading Derek Thompson's Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction. The film is most remembered today for opening with the song Rock Around the Clock by Bill Haley & His Comets, which set off the rock and roll revolution and everything that came after it. Blackboard Jungle is a story mostly told through the perspective of an inner-city teacher named Richard Dadier, and serves as a way to showcase what at the time was considered urban dysfunction among teenage boys. Here's how Thompson describes the significance of the film and its opening track.“The breakout success of ‘Rock Around the Clock' had everything to do with its placement at the beginning of the film Blackboard Jungle,” said Jim Dawson, author of Rock Around the Clock: The Record That Started the Rock Revolution. The reaction to Blackboard Jungle was something like hysteria — not just among teenagers, but also among their parents and politicians. Kids danced in the aisles of movie theaters and blasted the song from their cars. On May 17 1955, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Princeton University dorms held a competition to play the song as loudly as possible from their rooms. Around midnight, the students emptied into the quads, set fires to trashcans, and chanted up and down the streets. Meanwhile, several major American cities censored the film. The mayor of Memphis forbade teenagers to see it, while Atlanta tried to ban the movie after an alderman's wife said it threatened the “peace, health, morals, and good order of this city.”Just as l'affaire Caillebotte consecrated impressionism through scandal in the 1890s, Blackboard Jungle's notoriety promoted its opening track, unleashing the rock-and-roll genre. On July 2, 1955, three months after Blackboard Jungle debuted, “Rock Around the Clock” became the top-selling single in the country and the first song called “rock 'n' roll” to reach number one on the Billboard charts, ultimately selling more physical copies than any song by Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Madonna, or Michael Jackson.One of the laws of chaos is that a microscopic change in the present trajectory can lead to wildly different future outcomes; the Brazilian butterfly shakes her wings, and a Pacific typhoon forms off the coast of Indonesia. The most popular melodies of 1954 and 1955 were dulcet waltzes next to the high-tempo hits of the later 1950s. Billboard's number one songs before and after “Rock Around the Clock” were the schmaltzy “Unchained Melody” and the minstrel ballad “Yellow Rose of Texas,” which sounds like it could have been written in the 1850s.Could what's implied here possibly be true? That one song placed at the start of one film changed everything about music and ultimately led to a seismic shift in American culture, with implications for everything from education and crime to family formation? The possibility boggles the mind, but I can't totally dismiss the idea. One thing I knew for sure after reading the passage above was that I needed to see this movie.After tackling some deep questions about the causes of historical events and how contingent they might be, Rob and I focus on how race and gender issues are portrayed in the movie. On race, the film seems practically modern. Some themes and tropes that wouldn't have been out of place in the 1990s or 2000s include: the middle-class professional being horrified at being accused of racism; the black kid having a good heart while only the white kid can be portrayed as pure evil; and the way that racial differences are downplayed in a social context. This last point is particularly striking, as a group of lower-class white boys has no racial consciousness at all, and for all practical purposes the young men treat their black and Hispanic classmates like they do anyone else. When it comes to relations between the sexes, however, one sees the 1950s as a completely different universe. It is considered completely normal for the main female character to care primarily about her looks and keeping her husband happy. Overall, we see a great deal of stagnation in American culture on race, alongside radical changes in how men and women relate to one another. While the movie's portrayal of male-female relations lines up with popular propaganda about the 1950s, I found myself shocked at the difference between how that decade is commonly described and what was shown in this film. Surely, movies don't perfectly reflect reality, but the fact that this particular representation of race relations was plausible to an audience of that time is surely worth noting. This experience has made both of us to want to watch other old films in order to have a more direct understanding of the cultures of past eras. Very little can be simply taken for granted.Listen here or watch on YouTube. Get full access to Richard Hanania's Newsletter at www.richardhanania.com/subscribe

Ryan talks to Derek Thompson, Senior Editor at The Atlantic, about his new piece on Florida's pandemic performance and his book Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in the Age of Distraction.

In this episode, Sal, Adam & Justin speak with Aaron Alexander, author of The Align Method, about the importance of posture, mobility, and movement on health and longevity. The interesting dance with your ego. (3:53) The detriments of leading with your imposter versus authentic self. (6:09) The perception of safety. (10:12) How humans are extremely complex. (12:55) The stigma around cannabis. (15:08) The practiced skill of thinking slowly. (16:52) Disorganization can lead to parasites. (18:33) The skill of reading body language. (21:11) Always question the things you feel most passionate about. (23:05) How your thoughts and moods affect your movements. (27:12) How there is a lot of wisdom in spiritual practices. (30:42) Do people store emotions in their bodies? (33:34) How we are a product of our childhood. (40:30) The fine line of not letting your insecurities consume you. (45:23) How your perception of yourself impacts the way that you carry your movement. (48:57) Best practices to be a happier person. (59:14) The importance of disrupting your day to day life. (1:05:17) Be more honest with your biology. (1:08:45) Consistent movement matters. (1:14:47) Leveraging leverage. (1:27:18) Best practices to incorporate hip hinging into your daily life. (1:29:36) The Western Medicine bottle. (1:32:43) The power of proper nasal breathing. (1:35:15) Are we heading towards being plugged in? (1:42:34) Our perceived happiness over possessions rather than people. (1:45:20) How LA is like an oven. (1:54:05) Are you consumed by the game or a witness? (1:55:51) Ancient wisdom and science have polarities. (2:01:22) The unintended consequences of capturing rather than viewing. (2:06:26) Featured Guest/People Mentioned Aaron Alexander (@alignpodcast)  Instagram Website Bishop Robert Barron (@bishopbarron)  Instagram Amy Cuddy, PhD (@amycuddy)  Instagram Joan Vernikos Andrew Huberman, Ph.D. (@hubermanlab)  Instagram   Related Links/Products Mentioned August Promotion: MAPS Performance ½ off!! **Promo code “GREEN50” at checkout** Visit ChiliPad for an exclusive offer for Mind Pump listeners! The Align Method: 5 Movement Principles for a Stronger Body, Sharper Mind, and Stress-Proof Life – Book by Aaron Alexander Thinking, Fast and Slow – Book by Daniel Kahneman Mind Pump #1165: Bishop Robert Barron On Physical Fitness, Satan, Evolution, Psychedelics & Much More Amy Cuddy: Your body language may shape who you are | TED Talk Your face and moves seem happier when I smile: Facial action influences the perception of emotional faces and biological motion stimuli. Paul Ekman: Detecting Lies, Facial Expressions, Body Language | Ep. 175 A Simple Test Assessing Ability To Sit Up From The Floor Predicts Mortality Risk Hand Grip Strength Associated With All-Cause Mortality, Other Adverse Outcomes Astronauts Showed Us How Sitting Ages Us Amazon.com: Joan Vernikos 3 Tips for Better Muscle Growth – Mind Pump Blog Home on Apple TV+ Idiocracy (2006) - IMDb HOW THE PIRAHÃ PEOPLE BECAME THE HAPPIEST TRIBE IN THE WORLD? Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction – Book by Derek Thompson Joe Rogan Experience #1513 - Andrew Huberman

Derek Thompson, a staff writer for The Atlantic, host of the Crazy/Genius podcast and author of Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in the Age of Distraction, shares the magic of familiarity and novelty to make your stories connect with the human mind and move your audiences to action. Business of Story is proudly sponsored by Sendible, a powerful social media platform used by more than 3,000 digital agencies world-wide that help brand stories be heard online. As a special offer for you, get Sendible’s Robust plan now for only $69 per month when you sign up at sendible.com/park30. Start your free 30-day trial today.   Become a Master Storyteller Grab your free copy of The 5 Stages of Grief in Telling YOUR Business Story: http://bit.ly/StorytellingTools Like what you hear? Bring Park to your next event. 

Derek Thompson is a senior editor at The Atlantic magazine. He writes about topics as diverse as behavioral psychology, professional sports, and blockbuster films. Derek also hosts The Atlantic’s latest podcast Crazy/Genius, and is a weekly contributor to “Here and Now,” the national afternoon news show on NPR, and he appears regularly on CBS, the BBC, and MSNBC. He has appeared on numerous lists, including both Inc magazine’s and Forbes’ “30 Under 30” and Time magazine’s 140 Best Twitter Feeds. Derek’s debut book is Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction. In this beautifully written book, Derek tackles a seemingly simple question: Why do hits become hits? Why do some songs, movies, and books become bestsellers while others fizzle out? The book is a riveting read, whether you're in the business of creating hits or simply curious why Fifty Shades of Grey became a worldwide sensation. Derek and I discuss: Derek’s personal failures in finding a job as a writer and how he ended up getting his job at The Atlantic. What Derek learned from covering the notoriously secretive X, Google’s moonshot factory (you can read his article on X at this link). The strategies that X uses to cultivate an environment where employees embrace failure. Why X decided to hold an event modeled after Mexico’s Día de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. The two big ideas from Derek’s book, Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction. Why writing a book is similar to organizing a massive house. How learning is accumulation and understanding is elimination. - Get your FREE copy of my e-book. Text OZAN to 345345 or navigate to weeklycontrarian.com to download a free copy of my e-book, The Contrarian Handbook: 8 Principles for Innovating Your Thinking. Along with your free e-book, you’ll get the Weekly Contrarian — a newsletter that challenges conventional wisdom and changes the way we look at the world (plus access to exclusive content for subscribers only). Don’t want to miss future episodes? Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and leave a review on iTunes or Google Play. As always, thanks for listening. 

On this week’s show, we revisit two of our favorite interviews. Award-winning financial columnist Morgan Housel talks about the psychology of money, long tails, and investor misconceptions.  Plus, Chris Hill discusses the business of popularity with Atlantic Senior Editor Derek Thompson, author of Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction.

This conversation with Derek Thompson originally aired on May 25, 2018. Today, Tom speaks with Derek Thompson, a senior editor at The Atlantic, where he writes about business and technology, and hosts the new podcast Crazy/Genius. He is also the author of Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in the Age of Distraction.In his best-selling book, Thompson takes a scientific approach to understanding why certain things in our culture become ----cool,---- at least for a while, and whether or not there are commonalities between them across creative and cultural disciplines. Thompson examines the hidden psychological and market forces that make a song, a movie or a politician popular, and how those forces are constantly reshaping our cultural landscape.

Today, Tom speaks with Derek Thompson, a senior editor at The Atlantic, where he writes about business and technology, and hosts the new podcast Crazy/Genius. He is also the author of Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in the Age of Distraction. In his book -- which happens to be a best-seller -- Thompson takes a scientific approach to understanding why certain things in our culture become ----cool,---- at least for a while, and whether or not there are commonalities between them across creative and cultural disciplines. Thompson examines the hidden psychological and market forces that make a song, a movie or a politician popular, and how those forces are constantly reshaping our cultural landscape.

  It was great to talk to Derek Thompson who's a senior editor for The Atlantic and the best-selling author of Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction for a short podcast. We discussed his recent piece in The Atlantic: Disneyflix Is Coming. And Netflix Should Be Scared (https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/05/disneyflix-netflix/556895/ ). Netflix should be scared but Disneyflix has some of its own fascinating challenges that we discussed. Basically, how to...

On this week’s show, we revisit two of our favorite interviews from 2017. NYU business professor Scott Galloway talks big tech and shares some insights from his book, The Four: The Hidden DNA of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google. Plus, Chris talks about the business of popularity with Derek Thompson, author of Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction.

Costco slips on margin concerns. Netflix hits an all-time high after the company announces a price hike. And General Motors reports some electrifying news. Plus, Chris talks about the business of popularity with Derek Thompson, author of Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction. Thanks to Audible for supporting our podcast. Get a free audiobook with a free 30-day trial at audible.com/fool. Thanks to Bombfell for supporting The Motley Fool. Get $25 off your first purchase at http://bombfell.com/fool  

Organifi Quah! In this episode of Quah, sponsored by Organifi (organifi.com, code "mindpump" for 20% off), Sal, Adam & Justin answer Pump Head questions about their thoughts on Animal Flow, properly speeding up metabolism, whether to do cardio before or after weights and the most embarrassing things they were ever caught doing. The guys talk about The Defiant Ones (3:10) Have to adapt or die Sal talks about his favorite Four Sigmatic products (14:50) Chaga and reishi mix Quah question #1 – What are your thoughts on animal flow and how would you program it? (16:31) Primal movement patterns MAPS Performance Quah question #2 – How do you properly speed up the metabolism? (24:58) Achieve optimal health Prioritize muscle Do cardio for health Quah question #3 – Cardio, before or after weights? (33:25) Depends on your goal Quah question #4 – What is the most embarrassing thing you got caught doing? (44:12) Related Links/Products Mentioned Organifi Coupon Code "mindpump" HBO | The Defiant Ones | Homepage - HBO.com Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction - Derek Thompson (book) Blue Ocean Strategy, Expanded Edition: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant - W. Chan Kim (book) Four Sigmatic (website) Discount Code "mindpump" MAPS Prime/Prime Pro – GET NOW People Mentioned: Dr. Dre (@drdre) | Twitter Dr. Justin Brink Premiere Spine & Sport (@premiere_spine_sport) • Instagram Jimmy Iovine Steve Jobs Trent Reznor (@trent_reznor) · Twitter Aaron Alexander (@alignpodcast) | Twitter Mike Fitch (@mikegbt) • Instagram Melissa Wolf (@meliwolff) • Instagram Would you like to be coached by Sal, Adam & Justin? You can get 30 days of virtual coaching from them for FREE at www.mindpumpmedia.com. Get our newest program, MAPS Prime Pro, which shows you how to self assess and correct muscle recruitment patterns that cause pain and impede performance and gains. Get it at www.mindpumpmedia.com! Get MAPS Prime, MAPS Anywhere, MAPS Anabolic, MAPS Performance, MAPS Aesthetic, the Butt Builder Blueprint, the Sexy Athlete Mod AND KB4A (The MAPS Super Bundle) packaged together at a substantial DISCOUNT at www.mindpumpmedia.com. Make EVERY workout better with MAPS Prime, the only pre-workout you need… it is now available at mindpumpmedia.com Have Sal, Adam & Justin personally train you via video instruction on our YouTube channel, Mind Pump TV. Be sure to Subscribe for updates. Get your Kimera Koffee at www.kimerakoffee.com, code "mindpump" for 10% off! Get Organifi, certified organic greens, protein, probiotics, etc at www.organifi.com Use the code “mindpump” for 20% off. Go to foursigmatic.com/mindpump and use the discount code “mindpump” for 15% off of your first order of health & energy boosting mushroom products. Add to the incredible brain enhancing effect of Kimera Koffee with www.brain.fm/mindpump 10 Free sessions! Music for the brain for incredible focus, sleep and naps! Also includes 20% if you purchase! Please subscribe, rate and review this show! Each week our favorite reviewers are announced on the show and sent Mind Pump T-shirts! Have questions for Mind Pump? Each Monday on Instagram (@mindpumpmedia) look for the QUAH post and input your question there. (Sal, Adam & Justin will answer as many questions as they can)

Those of you that follow me on Instagram know that I was in San Jose last week visiting with the Mind Pump Media team to appear on their hugely popular podcast. We had a great time chatting about all kinds of things ranging from the trials and tribulations of being a supplement seller on Amazon, my “origin story” and initial reluctance to work in the fitness space, why many supplement companies “pixie dust” their products, what kind of music I like to listen to for working out, and much, much more. Here are some of the main things we discussed: Shenanigans of product reviews on Amazon (0:00) Company acquisition vs. customer experience (15:27) How hard is it to have integrity in supplement industry? (17:02) What drives me? (18:12) How do I get inspired to write? (20:22) Guys talk the power of the human brain How did I decide to get into fitness industry and why was I hesitant initially? (28:25) Did things go as planned with creating Legion Athletics? (52:57) How much sun exposure do you need? (1:02:55) How has my own perspective on health and self-image evolved over time? (1:04:37) What do I do for fun besides work? (1:14:20) Relationship talk (1:26:05) How do I tackle food with my kids? (1:29:52) What are some of my main philosophies regarding fitness? (1:35:47) What fascinates me right now in the industry? (1:47:56) Related Links & Products Mentioned Walmart Agrees to Acquire Jet.com, One of the Fastest Growing e-Commerce Companies in the U.S. (article) - http://news.walmart.com/2016/08/08/walmart-agrees-to-acquire-jetcom-one-of-the-fastest-growing-e-commerce-companies-in-the-us Amazon patent hints at floating warehouses in the sky (article) - http://money.cnn.com/2016/12/29/technology/amazon-aerial-warehouse/index.html What Doesn't Kill Us: How Freezing Water, Extreme Altitude and Environmental Conditioning will Renew our Lost Evolutionary Strength – Scott Carney (book) – http://amzn.to/2vqq2QC The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance – Steven Kotler (book) – http://amzn.to/2g75if2 The use of visual feedback, in particular mirror visual feedback, in restoring brain function (article) - https://academic.oup.com/brain/article/132/7/1693/328686/The-use-of-visual-feedback-in-particular-mirror Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome (RSD) - http://www.medicinenet.com/reflex_sympathetic_dystrophy_syndrome/article.htm Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction - Derek Thompson (book) – http://amzn.to/2wpiqCv Every Shot Counts: Using the Revolutionary Strokes Gained Approach to Improve Your Golf Performance and Strategy - Mark Broadie (book) – http://amzn.to/2xe5qgL Hustle: The Power to Charge Your Life with Money, Meaning, and Momentum - Neil Patel (book) – http://amzn.to/2vqlJFe Baby's Palate And Food Memories Shaped Before Birth (article) - http://www.npr.org/2011/08/08/139033757/babys-palate-and-food-memories-shaped-before-b

In this episode, Sal, Adam & Justin dive into social media, podcast trends, fitness sales and the business of fitness. Why is Gary Vee better than us? (2:00) Speaks to the younger generation Genuine Choice of music in YouTube videos Monetization of podcasts (9:05) Segment podcast Take a poll of the forum what podcasts they listen to What makes someone want to share something Influences Growth of YouTube Podcasts Awards / Guys talk awards from their days at 24 Hour Fitness (27:25) Adam won trips to Hawaii 7 times Sal won best seller for the day at a grand opening Guys talk people who made them better trainers The business of Fitness (1:01:00) Start up's vs. huge tech companies Growth Know your WHY At-home workouts Challenges for prizes Related Links/Products Mentioned Gary Vaynerchuk – YouTube 1. Technology use among seniors (article) Machine intelligence is the future of monetization for Facebook (article) If Podcasts Are the New Blogs, Enjoy the Golden Age While It Lasts (article) The Podcast Consumer 2017 (article) HOW JEFF BEZOS IS HURTLING TOWARD WORLD DOMINATION (article) Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction - Derek Thompson (book) Wash Your Balls!! Axe commercial (YouTube) Number of Americans Who Read Print Newspapers Continues Decline (article) VOTE FOR MIND PUMP!! People's Choice Best Fitness Podcast Find Your Why: A Practical Guide for Discovering Purpose for You and Your Team - Simon Sinek (book) Peloton (website) Get our newest program, MAPS Prime Pro, which shows you how to self assess and correct muscle recruitment patterns that cause pain and impede performance and gains. Get it at www.mindpumpmedia.com! Get MAPS Prime, MAPS Anywhere, MAPS Anabolic, MAPS Performance, MAPS Aesthetic, the Butt Builder Blueprint, the Sexy Athlete Mod AND KB4A (The MAPS Super Bundle) packaged together at a substantial DISCOUNT at www.mindpumpmedia.com. Make EVERY workout better with MAPS Prime, the only pre-workout you need… it is now available at mindpumpmedia.com Have Sal, Adam & Justin personally train you via video instruction on our YouTube channel, Mind Pump TV. Be sure to Subscribe for updates. Get your Kimera Koffee at www.kimerakoffee.com, code "mindpump" for 10% off! Get Organifi, certified organic greens, protein, probiotics, etc at www.organifi.com Use the code “mindpump” for 20% off. Got a beard? Condition your beard with Big Top Beard Company's natural oils and organic essential oil blends to make it not only feel great but smell amazing! Get Big Top Beard Company products at www.bigtopbeardcompany.com, code "mindpump" for 33% off. Add to the incredible brain enhancing effect of Kimera Koffee with www.brain.fm/mindpump 10 Free sessions! Music for the brain for incredible focus, sleep and naps! Please subscribe, rate and review this show! Each week our favorite reviewers are announced on the show and sent Mind Pump T-shirts!

In the age of virality, what does it actually mean to be popular? When does popularity -- or good product design, for that matter -- cross over from desire and engagement... to addiction? Journalist and editor Derek Thompson, author of Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction -- and NYU professor Adam Alter, author of Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked -- share their thoughts on these topics with Hanne Tidnam in this episode of the a16z Podcast. The discussion covers everything from the relationship between novelty and familiarity (we like what we know we like! and want more of it!) to what makes a hit. And what's going on when we suddenly fall in love with something "new" and can't get enough of it -- like playing a new video game or binge-watching a TV show.

Derek Thompson is a senior editor at The Atlantic magazine, where he writes about economics and the media. He is a regular contributor to NPR's “Here and Now,” and appears frequently on television, including CBS and MSNBC. Derek's new book is Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction. He was in the Northwest to speak at Town Hall Seattle, presented by Elliott Bay Book Company and Town Hall as part of the Arts & Culture series.

Bloomberg View columnist Barry Ritholtz interviews Derek Thompson, author of the book "Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction." Thompson is a senior editor at The Atlantic, where he writes about economics, labor markets and the media. This commentary aired on Bloomberg Radio.

Derek Thompson, senior editor of The Atlantic, tells Nerdette's Tricia Bobeda about his new book Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction. He explains what makes Adele’s "Hello" and Drake’s "Hotline Bling" top hits and how Star Wars was almost totally unknown. 

Total Duration 56:02 Download episode 166 What Makes A Hit Song? Or Idea? Why does one artist pull down a Grammy and another go without notice? Why do some products skyrocket in popularity when better ones never make it to production? Derek Thompson is a senior editor at The Atlantic magazine and a weekly news analyst for NPR's "Here and Now." Derek chases down these questions in his new book Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction. Read more of Derek's work at https://www.theatlantic.com/author/derek-thompson/ The Perfect Gift for Your Administrative Assistant Administrative Professionals Day is celebrated by companies around the world each April, and I have an idea for how you can celebrate the admins who serve your area! Check out our Effective Administrative Assistant Webinar Series. It's a 5-week course that I've shared with admins around the world, and I would love to help the admin who serves your team. We help your admin grow in areas, such as influence, conflict management, time management, and even project management! Visit https://PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com/Admin today to learn more and sign-up. I Want To Hear From You! I'm constantly looking for ways to improve the podcast. Would you be willing to take 2 minutes and share your thoughts? Go to https://PeopleAndProjectsPodcast.com/ListenerSurvey and help me know how I can help deliver exactly what you're looking for. Thanks! Thank you for joining me for this episode of The People and Projects Podcast! HELLO by Adele available on Amazon at http://amzn.to/2kRMsGh FUNIN' and SUNIN' by Kevin Macleod Licensed under a Creative Commons: Attribution 3.0 License.

We are in the midst of awards season. The Oscars, the Grammys, the Golden Globes. They are all about both content and popularity. But what is the nexus and separation of the two? To many people, if it’s popular, it can’t be “good.” To others, choosing anything other than the top movies or the top 50 songs on Spotify seems useless. What this doesn’t tell us is what drives popularity. Can it be manufactured, or is it the proverbial lighting in a bottle? How real or artificial is popularity? It’s seems like the perfect time to explore these questions. Senior Editor of The Atlantic, Derek Thompson takes us down this popular road in Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction. My conversation with Derek Thompson:

On Cathy’s final episode, hosts Felix Salmon of Fusion, Cathy O’Neil, author of Weapons of Math Destruction, and Slate Moneybox columnist Jordan Weissmann, chat with Derek Thompson, author of Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction. They decipher what it takes to produce a hit in three major creative industries, including:Film and televisionBook publishingMusic Check out other Panoply podcasts at itunes.com/panoply. Email: slatemoney@slate.com Twitter: @felixsalmon, @mathbabedotorg, @JHWeissmann, @DKThomp Production by Zachary Dinerstein Slate Money is brought to you by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. When it comes to the big decision of choosing a mortgage lender, work with one that has your best interests in mind. Use Rocket Mortgage for a transparent, trustworthy home loan process that’s completely online at QuickenLoans.com/slatemoney. And by ZipRecruiter. Post your job listing to all the top job sites with a single click. Try it for free by going to ZipRecruiter.com/money.  And by the hit SHOWTIME Original Series BILLIONS, starring Emmy winners Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti. BILLIONS returns Sunday, February 19th with new episodes every Sunday at 10/9 central. Download the SHOWTIME app now to start your free trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Cathy’s final episode, hosts Felix Salmon of Fusion, Cathy O’Neil, author of Weapons of Math Destruction, and Slate Moneybox columnist Jordan Weissmann, chat with Derek Thompson, author of Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction. They decipher what it takes to produce a hit in three major creative industries, including:Film and televisionBook publishingMusic Check out other Panoply podcasts at itunes.com/panoply. Email: slatemoney@slate.com Twitter: @felixsalmon, @mathbabedotorg, @JHWeissmann, @DKThomp Production by Zachary Dinerstein Slate Money is brought to you by Rocket Mortgage from Quicken Loans. When it comes to the big decision of choosing a mortgage lender, work with one that has your best interests in mind. Use Rocket Mortgage for a transparent, trustworthy home loan process that’s completely online at QuickenLoans.com/slatemoney. And by ZipRecruiter. Post your job listing to all the top job sites with a single click. Try it for free by going to ZipRecruiter.com/money.  And by the hit SHOWTIME Original Series BILLIONS, starring Emmy winners Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti. BILLIONS returns Sunday, February 19th with new episodes every Sunday at 10/9 central. Download the SHOWTIME app now to start your free trial. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In an ideal world, hard work and good ideas would be enough to succeed. In reality, getting things done at work requires playing the game, navigating office politics and persuading people to buy into your vision. This week on Game Plan, Francesca and Rebecca get some tips and tricks from Derek Thompson. He's the author of "Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction," a book that explores the popularity of all sorts of things -- from politicians to art and music. He explains how to use his insights to get ahead at work.