What Makes a Hit Song & Why You Never See the Same Rainbow Twice

What Makes a Hit Song & Why You Never See the Same Rainbow Twice

Author: Mike Carruthers | OmniCast Media December 22, 2025 Duration: 47:58
If you fall short on sleep, can you really “catch up” the next night? Many people think so — but our bodies don’t quite work that way. This episode begins with what science says about recovering from poor sleep and how to optimize deep sleep when your schedule gets disrupted. https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a40511210/deep-sleep/ What makes a song a hit? Trends, personal taste, timing, and luck all play a role — but today, technology shapes popular music more than ever. From how songs are created to how they spread, the path to a hit is constantly evolving. Chris Dalls Riva joins me to unpack it all. He’s Senior Product Manager at Audiomack, a musician and writer, creator of the newsletter Can’t Get Much Higher, and author of Uncharted Territory: What Numbers Tell Us About the Biggest Hit Songs and Ourselves. (https://amzn.to/4pODklu). All kinds of things can be explained by math – from the beauty of a rainbow to the incredible pattern of sunflower seeds to why we have some left-handed people but not too many. Joining me to drill into the numbers on all this is Eddie Woo. He is the head mathematics teacher at Cherrybrook Technology High School in Sydney, Australia. In 2012, he began recording his lessons and posting them on YouTube and created Wootube https://misterwootube.com/ which has more than 600,000 subscribers and over 33 million views. He’s also author of It’s a Numberful World: How Math Is Hiding Everywhere (https://amzn.to/3KOHPOb). There are 12 core workplace skills that shape how well we perform — and everyone has strengths and weaknesses across them. Understanding yours can make a big difference in how you work and how others work with you. Insights come from Chuck Martin, author of Smarts.(https://amzn.to/3KzlaWc) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS! INDEED: Get a $75 sponsored job credit to get your jobs more visibility at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Indeed.com/SOMETHING⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ right now! QUINCE: Give and get timeless holiday staples that last this season with Quince.  Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns! AG1: Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://DrinkAG1.com/SYSK ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to get a FREE Welcome Kit with an AG1 Flavor Sampler and a bottle of Vitamin D3 plus K2, when you first subscribe!  NOTION: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Notion brings all your notes, docs, and projects into one connected space that just works . It's seamless, flexible, powerful, and actually fun to use! Try Notion, now with Notion Agent, at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://notion.com/something⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ PLANET VISIONARIES: In partnership with Rolex’s Perpetual Planet Initiative, this… is Planet Visionaries. Listen or watch on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. SHOPIFY:  Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial and start selling today at⁠ https://Shopify.com/sysk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Curiosity is a powerful engine, and Something You Should Know is built on the idea that a single conversation can shift your perspective in a meaningful way. Host Mike Carruthers, through OmniCast Media, sits down with researchers, authors, and practitioners across a surprisingly wide spectrum-from neuroscience and health to social dynamics and personal finance. The aim isn't just to accumulate facts, but to uncover practical wisdom you can apply directly. You might hear a psychologist explain the simple habit that strengthens relationships, followed by an economist demystifying how to build lasting wealth, and then a physiologist breaking down the real science behind effective fitness. This podcast operates on the belief that improvement is multifaceted; a tip for saving time can be as valuable as understanding a new scientific discovery. Each episode is a self-contained dive into a topic that could very well change your approach to your career, your health, or your daily routine. The tone is conversational and grounded, focusing on actionable takeaways rather than abstract theory. By weaving together insights from the fields of science, education, and self-improvement, the show provides a toolkit for navigating life's complexities. It’s the kind of listening that leaves you with something concrete-a strategy, a new understanding, or a piece of advice that resonates long after the episode ends.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Something You Should Know
Podcast Episodes
SYSK TRENDING - Understanding and Controlling Our Fear [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:03
Fear can save your life—or quietly ruin it.. Fear keeps you alert, helps you avoid danger, and in many situations can literally save your life. Without fear, humans probably wouldn’t survive very long. But fear also has…
This Is Why You Dream & The Benefits of Solitude – SYSK Choice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:23
Most people assume being rich would solve almost every problem in life. More freedom. Less stress. More happiness. But psychologists who work with wealthy families say money—especially when people grow up with a lot of i…
How to Get People to Say Yes & What Your Darkest Emotions Mean [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:21
“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” We’ve all heard it countless times. But where did that idea come from—and is it actually true? Researchers have taken a much closer look at breakfast and the findings ma…
SYSK TRENDING - The Dangers of Collective Illusions [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:21
Humans are social creatures, and one of our strongest instincts is to fit in with the group. We want to belong. We want approval. And often, we assume that if enough people appear to believe something, it must be true. B…
Why Humans Crave Rituals & How Music Transports Your Mind [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:27
A lot of people treat melatonin like a harmless sleeping pill. But that’s not really what it is. Researchers are increasingly concerned that melatonin is misunderstood, overused, and often taken in ways that may not help…
Your Hormones Control More Than You Think & How Big Mistakes Shape You [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:18
People love giving advice—but most of the time, it doesn’t actually change anyone’s behavior. In fact, there’s a much more effective way to influence people that works far better than telling them what they should do. ht…