# How a song becomes a hit in the short-video era

> A process map exported from forks.world (https://forks.world). Author: Brian. Source: https://forks.world/p/cmv0kpdw5000cjn06r0ra8tex
> It describes who does what, in what order, and with which technology. Read the plain-language sections first; the JSON at the end is the exact, complete data.

## Summary

- 18 steps across 2 layers
- Persona: The artist, The label, Short-video users, Charts and radio
- Technology / systems: Streaming services

## How to read this file

- A process is made of **layers**. The main layer is the top level; any step of kind `subprocess` opens a detail layer with its own lanes and steps.
- **Lanes** are either persona (people/roles) or technology (systems). Each step belongs to one lane; `using` lists tools a person uses for that step.
- Step kinds: `start`, `task`, `decision` (its arrows carry the answer as a label), `subprocess`, `end`.

## How a song becomes a hit in the short-video era

Lanes:
- The artist: person / role (id `artist`)
- The label: person / role (id `label`)
- Short-video users: person / role (id `users`)
- Streaming services: technology / system (id `stream`)
- Charts and radio: person / role (id `charts`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **Write and record a song** [start; The artist; id `h1`]
   - then Pick a 15-second hook for short video
2. **Pick a 15-second hook for short video** [subprocess; The label; id `h2`], opens the detail layer "Finding the hook"
   - then A few creators use it in videos
3. **A few creators use it in videos** [task; Short-video users; id `h3`]
   - then Does a dance or a joke attach to it?
4. **Does a dance or a joke attach to it?** [decision; Short-video users; id `h4`]
   - if "Yes" go to Thousands of videos use the sound; if "No" go to Seed it with more creators and try another clip
5. **Thousands of videos use the sound** [task; Short-video users; id `h5`]
   - then People search for the full song
6. **People search for the full song** [task; Streaming services; id `h6`]
   - then Playlists add it
7. **Playlists add it** [task; Streaming services; id `h7`]
   - then Streams climb
8. **Streams climb** [task; Streaming services; id `h8`]
   - then Charts count streams and sales
9. **Charts count streams and sales** [task; Charts and radio; id `h9`]
   - then Does it reach the top tier?
10. **Does it reach the top tier?** [decision; Charts and radio; id `h10`]
   - if "Yes" go to Radio picks it up and the song is everywhere; if "No" go to A one-week wonder, or a slow burn that keeps climbing
11. **Radio picks it up and the song is everywhere** [end; Charts and radio; id `h11`]
12. **A one-week wonder, or a slow burn that keeps climbing** [task; The artist; id `h12`]
   - then Years later, a TV scene or a trend revives it (like Kate Bush in 2022)
13. **Years later, a TV scene or a trend revives it (like Kate Bush in 2022)** [task; Short-video users; id `h13`]
   - then Thousands of videos use the sound
14. **Seed it with more creators and try another clip** [task; The label; id `h3a`]
   - then A few creators use it in videos

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_artist["The artist"]
    n_h1(["Write and record a song"])
    n_h12["A one-week wonder, or a slow burn that keeps climbing"]
  end
  subgraph l_label["The label"]
    n_h2[["Pick a 15-second hook for short video"]]
    n_h3a["Seed it with more creators and try another clip"]
  end
  subgraph l_users["Short-video users"]
    n_h3["A few creators use it in videos"]
    n_h4{"Does a dance or a joke attach to it?"}
    n_h5["Thousands of videos use the sound"]
    n_h13["Years later, a TV scene or a trend revives it (like Kate Bush in 2022)"]
  end
  subgraph l_stream["Streaming services"]
    n_h6["People search for the full song"]
    n_h7["Playlists add it"]
    n_h8["Streams climb"]
  end
  subgraph l_charts["Charts and radio"]
    n_h9["Charts count streams and sales"]
    n_h10{"Does it reach the top tier?"}
    n_h11(["Radio picks it up and the song is everywhere"])
  end
  n_h1 --> n_h2
  n_h2 --> n_h3
  n_h3 --> n_h4
  n_h4 -->|"Yes"| n_h5
  n_h4 -->|"No"| n_h3a
  n_h3a --> n_h3
  n_h5 --> n_h6
  n_h6 --> n_h7
  n_h7 --> n_h8
  n_h8 --> n_h9
  n_h9 --> n_h10
  n_h10 -->|"Yes"| n_h11
  n_h10 -->|"No"| n_h12
  n_h12 --> n_h13
  n_h13 --> n_h5
```

### Finding the hook (detail of step "Pick a 15-second hook for short video")

Lanes:
- The label: person / role (id `label`)
- The artist: person / role (id `artist`)

Steps, in the order they run:

1. **Find the most catchy 15 seconds** [start; The label; id `k1`]
   - then Is it simple enough to sing along to?
2. **Is it simple enough to sing along to?** [decision; The artist; id `k2`]
   - if "Yes" go to Upload it as a preview; if "No" go to Strip it down or re-record it
3. **Upload it as a preview** [end; The label; id `k3`]
4. **Strip it down or re-record it** [task; The artist; id `k2a`]
   - then Is it simple enough to sing along to?

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  subgraph l_label["The label"]
    n_k1(["Find the most catchy 15 seconds"])
    n_k3(["Upload it as a preview"])
  end
  subgraph l_artist["The artist"]
    n_k2{"Is it simple enough to sing along to?"}
    n_k2a["Strip it down or re-record it"]
  end
  n_k1 --> n_k2
  n_k2 -->|"Yes"| n_k3
  n_k2 -->|"No"| n_k2a
  n_k2a --> n_k2
```

## Full data (JSON)

```json
{
  "title": "How a song becomes a hit in the short-video era",
  "maps": {
    "m_hook": {
      "id": "m_hook",
      "lanes": [
        {
          "id": "label",
          "name": "The label",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "artist",
          "name": "The artist",
          "type": "person"
        }
      ],
      "steps": [
        {
          "id": "k1",
          "kind": "start",
          "lane": "label",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "k2"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Find the most catchy 15 seconds"
        },
        {
          "id": "k2",
          "kind": "decision",
          "lane": "artist",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "k3",
              "label": "Yes"
            },
            {
              "to": "k2a",
              "label": "No"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Is it simple enough to sing along to?"
        },
        {
          "id": "k2a",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "artist",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "k2"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Strip it down or re-record it"
        },
        {
          "id": "k3",
          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "label",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Upload it as a preview"
        }
      ],
      "title": "Finding the hook",
      "parent": {
        "map": "m_root",
        "step": "h2"
      }
    },
    "m_root": {
      "id": "m_root",
      "lanes": [
        {
          "id": "artist",
          "name": "The artist",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "label",
          "name": "The label",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "users",
          "name": "Short-video users",
          "type": "person"
        },
        {
          "id": "stream",
          "name": "Streaming services",
          "type": "system"
        },
        {
          "id": "charts",
          "name": "Charts and radio",
          "type": "person"
        }
      ],
      "steps": [
        {
          "id": "h1",
          "kind": "start",
          "lane": "artist",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "h2"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Write and record a song"
        },
        {
          "id": "h2",
          "kind": "subprocess",
          "lane": "label",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "h3"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "child": "m_hook",
          "label": "Pick a 15-second hook for short video"
        },
        {
          "id": "h3",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "users",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "h4"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "A few creators use it in videos"
        },
        {
          "id": "h4",
          "kind": "decision",
          "lane": "users",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "h5",
              "label": "Yes"
            },
            {
              "to": "h3a",
              "label": "No"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Does a dance or a joke attach to it?"
        },
        {
          "id": "h3a",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "label",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "h3"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Seed it with more creators and try another clip"
        },
        {
          "id": "h5",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "users",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "h6"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Thousands of videos use the sound"
        },
        {
          "id": "h6",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "stream",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "h7"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "People search for the full song"
        },
        {
          "id": "h7",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "stream",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "h8"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Playlists add it"
        },
        {
          "id": "h8",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "stream",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "h9"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Streams climb"
        },
        {
          "id": "h9",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "charts",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "h10"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Charts count streams and sales"
        },
        {
          "id": "h10",
          "kind": "decision",
          "lane": "charts",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "h11",
              "label": "Yes"
            },
            {
              "to": "h12",
              "label": "No"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Does it reach the top tier?"
        },
        {
          "id": "h11",
          "kind": "end",
          "lane": "charts",
          "next": [],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Radio picks it up and the song is everywhere"
        },
        {
          "id": "h12",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "artist",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "h13"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "A one-week wonder, or a slow burn that keeps climbing"
        },
        {
          "id": "h13",
          "kind": "task",
          "lane": "users",
          "next": [
            {
              "to": "h5"
            }
          ],
          "uses": [],
          "label": "Years later, a TV scene or a trend revives it (like Kate Bush in 2022)"
        }
      ],
      "title": "How a song becomes a hit in the short-video era",
      "parent": null
    }
  }
}
```