The Long Empty Tail

There is a common saying on author loops
‘Anyone can write and publish a book,
very few people can sell a book.’

Studies done by
Will Page, Gary Eggleton, and Andrew Bud
find of 13 million music tracks available,
52,000 or 0.4 per cent
accounted for 80 per cent of downloads.

Yep, not even the expected 80/20 rule.
The blockbusters are bigger blockbusters,
the rest sell nothing.

Sociologist Duncan Watts
provides this explanation as to why
“Google can deliver 100 million songs to you –
but your brain hasn’t got any faster.”

We simply don’t have the time
or capacity
to evaluate unlimited choice
so we rely on the same social indicators
(like bestseller lists).

Lists, awards, other indications of popularity
still matter.