Hit Makers: Why Things Become Popular

by Derek Thompson

how do you get people hooked without making them habituated? Let’s return to our poor mouse. Rather than play B notes to the little guy forever, scientists can play several B notes in a row and then, just as he’s about to figure out the pattern, hit him with a new sound—C! The C note will startle the mouse, too. But more important, the introduction of a new note will make the mouse forget a little bit about the B. This is called “dishabituation.” The single serving of C preserves the potency of the B stimulus. Eventually, the mouse will become habituated to both the B and the C. But that’s okay. Scientists can further slow the habituation process by introducing a third note—D!15 To scare a mouse for the longest period of time with the fewest notes, scientists have found success with variations on the following sequence: BBBBC–BBBC–BBC–BC–D Huron’s research has found that this sequence of repetition and variation reflects global music patterns—from European sonatas to Inuit throat singing to American rock. “Across the world, music is consistent with early repetition,” he said. “The idea is to be repetitive up to the point where people might pull their hair out, and then change things subtly. From a composer’s perspective, to make something simple and beautiful, you could think, ‘What’s the minimal amount of material I can compose to entertain my audience for the longest period of time?’” I’m particularly drawn to the final snippet of the sequence, which is this: BBC–BC–D Th...