Derek Thompson's Hit Makers examines the science of popularity and how certain products and ideas achieve extraordinary success in pop culture and media. Thompson argues that while hits seem to appear from nowhere, they follow certain predictable patterns, including the psychology of human preferences, the social networks through which ideas spread, and the economics of cultural markets. The book explores these patterns through various examples ranging from music and movies to politics and brand marketing, emphasizing the role of familiarity, repetition, and exposure in creating cultural hits.