The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory

New Yorker staff writer John Seabrook tells a fascinating story of creativity and commerce that explains how songs have become so addictive. Over the last two decades a new type of song has emerged. Today's hits bristle with "hooks," musical burrs designed to snag your ear every seven seconds. Painstakingly crafted to tweak the brain's delight in melody, rhythm, and repetition, these songs are industrial-strength products made for malls, casinos, the gym, and the Super Bowl halftime show. The…