The New York Times Best Seller list

{{short description|List of best-selling books in the United States}}
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{{Italic title|string=The New York Times}}
{{Use American English|date = March 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2020}}

'''''The New York Times'' Best Seller list''' is widely considered the preeminent list of [[bestseller|best-selling books]] in the United States.<ref name="bear">[[John Bear (educator)|John Bear]], ''The #1 New York Times Best Seller: intriguing facts about the 484 books that have been #1 New York Times bestsellers since the first list, 50 years ago'', Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, 1992.</ref><ref>Republican Representative [[Billy Tauzin]] of Louisiana, while Chairman of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications, Trade, and Consumer Protection, said "the ''New York Times'' best-seller list is widely considered to be one of the most authoritative lists of which books are selling the most in American bookstores" during his [http://www.techlawjournal.com/cong106/database/19990615tau.htm Opening Statement for Hearing on H.R. 1858] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170502050053/http://www.techlawjournal.com/cong106/database/19990615tau.htm |date=May 2, 2017 }} on June 15, 1999.</ref> Since October 12, 1931, ''[[The New York Times Book Review]]'' has published the list weekly.<ref name="bear" /> In the 21st century, it has evolved into multiple lists, grouped by genre and format, including fiction and nonfiction, hardcover, paperback and [[E-book|electronic]].

The list is based on a proprietary method that uses sales figures, other data and internal guidelines that are unpublished—how the ''Times'' compiles the list is a [[trade secret]].<ref name=diamond/> In 1983, as part of a legal argument, the ''Times'' stated that the list is not mathematically objective but rather editorial content. In 2017, a ''Times'' representative said that the goal is that the lists reflect authentic best sellers.<ref name="ap-20170904">{{cite web|first=David|last=Bauder|url=https://apnews.com/58606fa07433442ba470a91d374f8926|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190223052739/https://apnews.com/58606fa07433442ba470a91d374f8926 |title=Conservative publisher wants nothing more to do with Times|website=Associated Press|date=September 4, 2017|archive-date=February 23, 2019}}</ref> The list has been a source of controversy. When the ''Times'' believes a book has reached the list in a suspicious way—such as through bulk purchases—the book's entry on the list is marked with a [[dagger symbol]] (†).<ref name="Bartnett">{{cite web |last1=Bartnett |first1=Erin |title=Are Conservative Titles Using Shady Tricks to Get Onto the Bestseller List? |url=https://electricliterature.com/are-conservative-titles-using-shady-tricks-to-get-onto-the-bestseller-list/ |website=Electric Literature |date=May 25, 2018 |access-date=December 12, 2020}}</ref>

==History==
{{external media
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| image1 = ''New York Times'' Best-seller List<br>{{center|1=[https://archive.org/details/nytimesbestsellerlist-oct121931 Oct. 12, 1931]}}The first best-seller list was published with little fanfare for books sold in New York City only. 
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Although the first [[best seller]] list in America was published in 1895, in ''[[The Bookman (New York)|The Bookman]]'', a best seller list was not published in ''The New York Times'' until October 12, 1931, 36 years later, with little fanfare.<ref>''The New York Times'', October 12, 1931. 19</ref><ref name=miller>{{cite book |editor=Ezra Greenspan|title=[[Book History (journal)|Book History]] |volume=3 |chapter=The Best-Seller List as Marketing Tool and Historical Fiction |author=Laura J. Miller |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PEZkkbohbtoC&pg=PA290 |publisher=[[Penn State Press]] |year=2000 |pages=286–304 |isbn=0271020504}}</ref> It listed five fiction and four nonfiction books for [[New York City]] only.<ref name=miller/> The next month, the list was expanded to eight cities, each with its own list.<ref name=miller/> By the early 1940s, fourteen city-lists were included. A national list was created on April 9, 1942, in the Sunday ''New York Times Book Review'' as a supplement to the Monday edition regular city lists.<ref name=miller/> The national list was ranked according to how many times the book appeared in the city lists.<ref name=miller/> Eventually the city lists were eliminated, leaving only the national ranking list, which was compiled according to "reports from leading booksellers in 22 cities".<ref name=miller/> Ranking by bookseller sales figures continues today, although the process has remained proprietary.<ref name=diamond/>

By the 1950s, ''The Times''{{'}}s list had become the leading best-seller list for book professionals to monitor, along with that of ''[[Publishers Weekly]]''.<ref name=miller/> In the 1960s and 1970s, shopping-mall chain bookstores [[B. Dalton]], [[Crown Books]], and [[Waldenbooks]] came to the forefront with a business model of selling newly published best-sellers with mass-market appeal. They used the best-selling status of titles to market the books and not just as a measure of sales, thus placing increased emphasis on the ''New York Times'' list for book readers and book sellers.<ref name=miller/>

As shown in the graph below, the number of titles achieving the number one spot has grown consistently over the years, ranging from fewer than 10 in the 1970s to the high thirties in the past decade. This graph represents fiction titles only. Years with smaller numbers means one or more titles dominated as major best sellers, notably ''[[The Da Vinci Code]]'' in [[List of The New York Times number-one books of 2003|2003]] and [[List of The New York Times number-one books of 2004|2004]], ''[[Fifty Shades of Grey]]'' in [[List of The New York Times number-one books of 2012|2012]] and ''[[Where the Crawdads Sing]]'' in [[List of The New York Times number-one books of 2019|2019]].<ref>Hawes Publications, [http://www.hawes.com/number1s.htm ''New York Times'' Adult Hardcover Best Seller Number Ones Listing Fiction By Date]</ref>

{|
| {{legend|#F46D43|'''NYT Number 1 Fiction Titles per Year''' (1970–2022)}}
|-
|valign=top width=0%|
{{Graph:Chart
|width= 600
|height=
|colors=#F46D43
|type = rect
|linewidth = 1
|xAxisAngle=90
|x= 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1990, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
|yAxisTitle=Unique titles at No. 1
| yAxisMin = 0
| yAxisMax = 
|y1= 3,6,4,7,4,6,4,5,7,10,8,6,9,6,9,13,11,11,8,10,12,11,12,7,11,12,14,10,14,13,15,22,24,17,16,25,24,22,36,37,33,27,22,36,39,25,37,37,39,25,34,38,24
|y1Title=Year
}}
|}

==Composition==
The list is compiled by the editors of the "News Surveys" department, not by ''The New York Times Book Review'' department, where it is published.<ref name=pierleoni/> It is based on weekly sales reports obtained from selected samples of independent and chain bookstores and wholesalers throughout the United States.<ref name=pierleoni/> The sales figures are widely believed to represent books that have actually been sold at retail, rather than wholesale,<ref>[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B03E0D61438F93AA1575BC0A965948260 "Blatty Sue Times on Best-Seller List"], from ''[[The New York Times]]'', August 29, 1983.</ref> as the ''Times'' surveys booksellers in an attempt to better reflect what is purchased by individual buyers. Some books are flagged with a [[Dagger (typography)|dagger]] indicating that a significant number of bulk orders had been received by retail bookstores.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/best-sellers-books/combined-print-and-e-book-nonfiction/list.html|work=The New York Times|title=Combined Print & E-Book Nonfiction - Best Sellers - Books }}</ref>

''The New York Times'' reported in 2013 that "we [generally do not] track the sales of classic literature," and thus, for example, new translations of [[Dante's Inferno|Dante's ''Inferno'']] would not be found on the bestseller list.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://mobile.nytimes.com/2013/06/02/books/review/inside-the-list.html |url-access=subscription |title=Inside the List |work=The New York Times Book Review |author=Cowles, Gregory |date=June 2, 2013 |access-date=June 5, 2013}}</ref>

The exact method for compiling the data obtained from the booksellers is classified as a [[trade secret]].<ref name=diamond/> Book Review staff editor Gregory Cowles explained the method "is a secret both to protect our product and to make sure people can't try to rig the system. Even in the Book Review itself, we don't know (the news surveys department's) precise methods."<ref name=pierleoni>{{cite news|author= Pierleoni, Allen|url= http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/22/4203094/best-sellers-lists-how-they-work.html|title= Best-sellers lists: How they work and who they (mostly) work for|work= The Sacramento Bee|date= January 22, 2012|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120125082356/http://www.sacbee.com/2012/01/22/4203094/best-sellers-lists-how-they-work.html|archive-date= January 25, 2012}}</ref> In 1992, the survey encompassed over 3,000 bookstores as well as "representative wholesalers with more than 28,000 other retail outlets, including variety stores and supermarkets."<ref name=diamond>{{cite book| author=Diamond, Edwin |date=1995| title=Behind the Times: Inside the New ''New York Times''| publisher=University of Chicago Press | url= https://archive.org/details/behindtimesinsid00diam | url-access=registration |page =[https://archive.org/details/behindtimesinsid00diam/page/364 364]|isbn=9780679418771}}</ref> By 2004, the number was 4,000 bookstores as well as an unstated number of wholesalers.<ref name=miller/> Data is adjusted to give more weight to independent book stores, which are underrepresented in the sample.<ref name=miller/>

The lists are divided among [[fiction]] and [[nonfiction]], print and e-book, paperback and hardcover; each list contains 15 to 20 titles. The lists have been subdivided several times. "Advice, How-To, and Miscellaneous" debuted as a list of five on January 1, 1984. It was created because advice best-sellers were sometimes crowding the general nonfiction list.<ref>{{cite news|title=TBR: Inside the list|work=The New York Times|date= February 24, 2008| page= BR26}}</ref> Its inaugural number one bestseller, ''The Body Principal'' by [[Victoria Principal]], had been number 10 and number 12 on the nonfiction lists for the two preceding weeks.<ref>{{cite news|title=The New York Times Book Review Best Sellers| work=The New York Times|date= January 1, 1984| page =BR28}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Best Sellers|work=The New York Times|date= December 25, 1983| page =BR13}}</ref> In July 2000, the "Children's Best Sellers" was created after the [[Harry Potter]] series had stayed in the top spots on the fiction list for an extended period of time.<ref>{{cite web|website=riverdeep.net|url=http://www.riverdeep.net/current/2001/11/111201t_top10.jhtml|title=Bestseller Math|date=November 12, 2001|access-date=July 23, 2007|archive-date=May 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518042101/http://www.riverdeep.net/current/2001/11/111201t_top10.jhtml|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Smith|first=Dinitia|author-link=Dinitia Smith|date=June 24, 2000|title=The Times Plans a Children's Best-Seller List|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/24/books/the-times-plans-a-children-s-best-seller-list.html|url-status=live|work=[[The New York Times]]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191105092738/https://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/24/books/the-times-plans-a-children-s-best-seller-list.html|archive-date=November 5, 2019|access-date=February 13, 2023|url-access=limited}}</ref> The children's list was printed monthly until February 13, 2011, when it was changed to once an issue (weekly). In September 2007, the paperback fiction list was divided into [[Paperback#trp|"trade"]] and [[Paperback#mmp|"mass-market"]] sections, in order to give more visibility to the trade paperbacks that were more often reviewed by the newspaper itself.<ref>{{cite magazine
|title=Up Front
|magazine=[[The New York Times Book Review]]
|page=4
|date=September 23, 2007
|quote=it gives more emphasis on the literary novels and short-story collections reviewed so often in our pages
}}</ref> In November 2010, ''The New York Times'' announced it would be tracking [[e-book]] best-seller lists in fiction and nonfiction starting in early 2011.<ref name=ebook>{{cite news|author=Bosman, Julie |url= https://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/11/books/11list.html |title=''Times'' Will Rank E-Book Best Sellers| work=The New York Times|date= November 10, 2010}}</ref> "RoyaltyShare, a San Diego-based company that tracks data and aggregates sales information for publishers, will ... provide [e-book] data".<ref name=ebook/> The two new e-book lists were first published with the February 13, 2011, issue, the first tracks combined print and e-book sales, the second tracks e-book sales only (both lists are further sub-divided into Fiction and Nonfiction). In addition a third new list was published on the web only, which tracks combined print sales (hardcover and paperback) in fiction and nonfiction. On December 16, 2012, the children's chapter books list was divided into two new lists: middle-grade (ages 8–12) and young adult (age 12–18), both which include sales across all platforms (hard, paper and e-book).

== Statistics ==
According to an EPJ Data Science study that used big data to analyze every ''New York Times'' bestselling book from 2008 to 2016, of the 100,000 new, hardcover print books published each year, fewer than 500 make it on to ''The New York Times Best Seller'' list (0.5 percent). Many novels (26 percent) appear on the list for only one week. To make the list, it is estimated that novels sell from 1,000 to 10,000 copies per week, depending on competition. Median sales fluctuate between 4,000 and 8,000 in fiction, and 2,000–6,000 in nonfiction. The majority of ''New York Times'' bestselling books sell from 10,000 to 100,000 copies in their first year.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Griffin|first=Elle|date=January 17, 2021|title=No One Will Read Your Book|url=https://writingcooperative.com/why-no-one-will-read-your-book-caa0e77ed5aa|access-date=January 25, 2021|website=Medium|language=en}}</ref>

During the period studied (August 6, 2008, to March 10, 2016), Dan Brown's book ''[[The Lost Symbol]]'' held the record with 3 million copies sold in one year followed by ''[[The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest]]'' by [[Stieg Larsson]] and ''[[Go Set a Watchman]]'' by [[Harper Lee]] which sold 1.6 million copies each. In nonfiction, more than half of the hardcover books that make the list are in the biography category. The autobiography of George W. Bush, ''[[Decision Points]]'', sold the most copies in one year followed by the biography ''[[Steve Jobs (book)|Steve Jobs]]'' by [[Walter Isaacson]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Yucesoy|first1=Burcu|last2=Wang|first2=Xindi|last3=Huang|first3=Junming|last4=Barabási|first4=Albert-László|date=December 2018|title=Success in books: a big data approach to bestsellers|journal=EPJ Data Science|language=en|volume=7|issue=1|pages=1–25|doi=10.1140/epjds/s13688-018-0135-y|issn=2193-1127|doi-access=free}}</ref>

==Criticisms==
The list has been criticized by authors, publishers, book industry executives, and others for not providing an accurate accounting of true best-seller status.  These criticisms have been ongoing ever since the list originated.  A book industry report in the 1940s found that best-seller lists were a poor indicator of sales, since they were based on misleading data and were only measuring fast sales.  A 2004 report quoted a senior book marketing executive who said the rankings were "smoke and mirrors"; while a report in [[Book History (journal)|''Book History'']] found that many professionals in the book industry "scoffed at the notion that the lists are accurate".<ref name=miller/>

Specific criticisms include:

*'''Fast sales'''.<ref name=miller/><ref>J. E. Fishman, [http://www.thenervousbreakdown.com/jefishman/2010/12/12-common-misperceptions-about-book-publishing/ 12 Common Misperceptions About Book Publishing], ''[[The Nervous Breakdown (magazine)|The Nervous Breakdown]]'', December 1, 2010. Retrieved July 27, 2011.</ref> A book that never makes the list can actually outsell books on the best-seller list. This is because the best-seller list reflects sales in a given week, not total sales. Thus, one book may sell heavily in a given week, making the list, while another may sell at a slower pace, never making the list, but selling more copies over time.
*'''Double counting'''. By including wholesalers in the polls along with retail bookstores, books may be double-counted.<ref name=miller/> Wholesalers report how much they sell to retailers, and retailers report how much they sell to customers, thus there can be overlap with the same reported book being sold twice within a given time frame. In addition, retailers may return books to wholesalers months later if they never sell, thus resulting in a "sale" being reported that never came to fruition. For example, mass-market paperbacks can see as high as 40% return rates from the retailer back to the wholesaler.<ref name=miller/> 
*'''Manipulation by authors and publishers'''. In 1956, author [[Jean Shepherd]] created the fake novel ''[[I, Libertine]]'' to illustrate how easy it was to manipulate the best-seller lists based on demand, as well as sales. Fans of Shepherd's radio show planted references to the book and author so widely that demand for the book led to claims of it being on the ''Times'' list.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldnews.com/bloggers/x35033844/All-I-want-for-Christmas-is-my-name-on-the-Bestsellers-List |title=All I want for Christmas is my name on the Bestseller's List |last=Lortie |first=Arthur |date=December 17, 2012 |work=The Herald News |access-date=July 8, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105035455/http://www.heraldnews.com/bloggers/x35033844/All-I-want-for-Christmas-is-my-name-on-the-Bestsellers-List |archive-date=November 5, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Wilcock  |first=John  |title=The Book That Wasn't  |work=[[The Village Voice]]  |date=August 1, 1956 |url=http://www.flicklives.com/Articles/articles.asp?ID=19560801Ab  |access-date=November 9, 2007  |url-status=dead  |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070808001135/http://www.flicklives.com/Articles/articles.asp?ID=19560801Ab  |archive-date=August 8, 2007 }}</ref> Author [[Jacqueline Susann]] (''[[Valley of the Dolls (novel)|Valley of the Dolls]]'') attempted to "butter-up" ''Times''-reporting booksellers and personally bought large quantities of her own book.<ref name=miller/> Author [[Wayne Dyer]] (''[[Your Erroneous Zones]]'') purchased thousands of copies of his own book.<ref name=miller/> [[Al Neuharth]] (''Confessions of an S. O. B.''), former head of [[Gannett Company]], had his Gannett Foundation buy two thousand copies of his own autobiography.<ref name=miller/> In 1995, authors Michael Treacy and Fred Wiersema spent $200,000 to buy ten thousand copies of ''[[The Discipline of Market Leaders]]'' from dozens of bookstores.<ref name=miller/> Although they denied any wrongdoing, the book spent 15 weeks on the list. As a result of this scandal the ''Times'' began placing a dagger symbol next to any title for which bookstores reported bulk orders.<ref name=miller/> However, daggers do not always appear; for example [[Tony Hsieh]]'s ''[[Delivering Happiness]]'' was known to have been manipulated with bulk orders but did not have a dagger.<ref name=bercovici>{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2013/02/22/heres-how-you-buy-your-way-onto-the-new-york-times-bestsellers-list/ |title=Here's How You Buy Your Way Onto The New York Times Bestsellers List |work=Forbes |author=Jeff Bercovici |date=February 22, 2013 |access-date=March 17, 2014}}</ref> Companies that contract with authors to manipulate the bestseller list through "bestseller campaigns" include [[ResultSource]].<ref name=trachtenberg>{{cite web |url=https://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887323864304578316143623600544 |title=The Mystery of the Book Sales Spike |work=[[Wall Street Journal]] |author=Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg |date=February 22, 2013 |access-date=March 17, 2014 |archive-date=March 5, 2014 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140305085248/http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887323864304578316143623600544 |url-status=live }}</ref>
*'''Manipulation by retailers and wholesalers'''.<ref name=miller/> It happens with regularity that wholesalers and retailers deliberately or inadvertently manipulate the sales data they report to the ''Times''.<ref name=miller/> Since being on the ''Times'' best-seller list increases the sales of a book, bookstores and wholesalers may report a book is a best-seller before it actually is one, in order that it might later become a "legitimate" best-seller through increased sales due to its inclusion on the best-seller list,<ref name=miller/> leading to the best-seller list becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy for the booksellers.
*'''Leading data collection'''. The ''Times'' provides booksellers with a form containing a list of books it believes might be bestsellers, to check off, with an alternative "Other" column to fill in manually.<ref name=miller/> It has been criticized as a leading technique to create a best-seller list based on books the ''Times'' thinks might be included.<ref name=miller/> One bookseller compared it to a voting card in which two options for president are provided: "Bill Clinton and Other".<ref name=miller/><!--See pg. 297, a quote from bookseller-->
*'''Self-fulfilling'''. Once a book makes it onto the list it is heavily marketed as a "best-seller", purchased by readers who seek out best-sellers, given preferential treatment by retailers, online and offline, who create special best-seller categories including special in-store placement and price discounts, and is carried by retailers that generally do not carry other books (e.g., supermarkets).<ref name=miller/> Thus, the list can become self-fulfilling in determining which books have high sales and remain on the list.<ref name=miller/>
*'''Conflicts of interest'''. Due to high financial impact of making the list, since the 1970s publishers have created escalator clauses for major authors stipulating that if a book makes the list the author will receive extra money, based on where it ranks and for how long.<ref name=miller/> Authors may also be able to charge higher speaking fees for the status of being a best-seller.<ref name=miller/> As ''[[Book History]]'' said, "With so much at stake then, it is no wonder that enormous marketing effort goes into getting a book access to this major marketing tool."<ref name=miller/>

==Controversies==
In 1983, author [[William Peter Blatty]] sued ''The New York Times'' for $6 million, claiming that his book, ''[[Legion (Blatty novel)|Legion]]'' (filmed as ''[[The Exorcist III]]''), had not been included in the list due to either negligence or intentional falsehood, saying it should have been included due to high sales. The ''Times'' countered that the list was not mathematically objective but rather was editorial content and thus protected under the [[U.S. Constitution|Constitution]] as free speech. Blatty appealed it to the Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case. Thus, the lower court ruling stood that the list is editorial content, not objective factual content, so the ''Times'' had the right to exclude books from the list.<ref name=miller/>

In 1995, Michael Treacy and Fred Wiersema, the authors of a book called ''[[The Discipline of Market Leaders]]'', colluded to manipulate their book onto the best seller charts. The authors allegedly purchased over 10,000 copies of their own book in small and strategically placed orders at bookstores whose sales are reported to [[Nielsen BookScan|BookScan]]. Because of the benefits of making ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list (speaking engagements, more book deals, and consulting) the authors felt that buying their own work was an investment that would pay for itself. The book climbed to No. 4 on the list where it sat for 15 weeks; it also peaked at No. 1 on the ''[[BusinessWeek]]'' best seller list. Since such lists hold the power of [[cumulative advantage]], chart success often begets more chart success. Although such efforts are not illegal, publishers consider them unethical.<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/1995-08-06/did-dirty-tricks-create-a-best-seller |url-access = subscription |publisher  = Bloomberg |title = Did Dirty Tricks Create a Best-Seller? |author = Stern, Willy |date = August 1995 |access-date = March 18, 2019}}</ref>

In 1999, [[Amazon.com]] announced a 50% decrease in price for books on the Best Seller List to beat its competition, [[Barnes & Noble]].<ref>[http://www.salon.com/tech/col/rose/1999/06/23/times_bestsellers/index.html Who owns the ''New York Times'' bestseller list? ], by Scott Rosenberg, Salon.com, June 23, 1999</ref> After a legal dispute between Amazon and ''The New York Times'', Amazon was permitted to keep using the list on condition that it displayed it in alphabetical rather than numerical order.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20110511211808/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-55388629.html "Amazon.com and ''The New York Times'' Settle Legal Dispute Over Use of Times Best Sellers List"], ''Business Wire'', August 9, 1999.</ref> By 2010, this was no longer the case; Amazon now displays the best-seller list in order of best-selling titles first.<ref>[https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/feature/-/239332 ''New York Times'' Bestseller list] at [[Amazon.com]].</ref>

In 2013, ''[[Forbes]]'' published a story titled "Here's How You Buy Your Way Onto ''The New York Times'' Bestsellers List."<ref name=Bercovici2013>{{cite web |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2013/02/22/heres-how-you-buy-your-way-onto-the-new-york-times-bestsellers-list/|title=Here's How You Buy Your Way Onto ''The New York Times Bestsellers'' List |work=[[Forbes]] |author=Jeff Bercovici |date=February 22, 2013 |access-date=March 19, 2014}}</ref> The article discusses how [[ResultSource]], a San Diego-based marketing consultancy, specializes in ensuring books make a bestseller list, even guaranteeing a No. 1 spot for those willing to pay enough. ''The New York Times'' was informed of this practice and responded: "''The New York Times'' comprehensively tracks and tabulates the weekly unit sales of all titles reported by book retailers as their general interest bestsellers. We will not comment beyond our methodology on the other questions." ''The New York Times'' did not alert its readers to this, unlike ''The Wall Street Journal,'' which admitted that books had landed on its bestseller list due to ResultSource's campaign.<ref name=Trachtenberg2013>{{cite web |url=https://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887323864304578316143623600544 |title=The Mystery of the Book Sales Spike |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |author=Jeffrey A. Trachtenberg |date=February 22, 2013 |access-date=March 19, 2014 |archive-date=March 5, 2014 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140305085248/http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424127887323864304578316143623600544 |url-status=live }}</ref> Soren Kaplan, the source who admitted he had paid ResultSource to land his book, ''Leapfrogging'', on ''The Wall Street Journal''{{'}}s bestseller list, revealed the methodology on his blog; he posted: "If I could obtain bulk orders before ''Leapfrogging'' was released, ResultSource would purchase the books on my behalf using their tried-and-true formula. Three thousand books sold would get me on ''The Wall Street Journal'' bestseller list. Eleven thousand would secure a spot on the biggest prize of them all, ''The New York Times'' list."<ref name=Kaplan2013>{{cite web |url=http://www.leapfrogging.com/2013/02/18/debunking-the-bestseller-book-sales-spike/|title=Debunking the Bestseller |work=[[Blog]] |author=Soren Kaplan |date=February 2013 |access-date=March 19, 2014}}</ref>

In 2014, the ''Los Angeles Times'' published a story titled "Can bestseller lists be bought?"<ref name=kellogg2014>{{cite web |url=http://www.latimes.com/books/jacketcopy/la-et-jc-pastor-contract-resultsource-bestseller-lists-20140305,0,7039368.story#axzz2vCwCm0fo |title=Can bestseller lists be bought? |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |author=Carolyn Kellogg |date=March 6, 2014 |access-date=March 7, 2014}}</ref> It describes how author and pastor [[Mark Driscoll (pastor)|Mark Driscoll]] contracted the company ResultSource to place his book ''[[Real Marriage]]'' (2012) on ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list for a $200,000 fee. The contract was for ResultSource "to conduct a bestseller campaign for your book, ''Real Marriage'' on the week of January 2, 2012. The bestseller campaign is intended to place ''Real Marriage'' on ''The New York Times'' bestseller list for the Advice How-to list." To achieve this, the contract stated that "RSI will be purchasing at least 11,000 total orders in one week." This took place, and the book successfully reached No.1 on the hardcover advice bestseller list on January 22, 2014.<ref name=kellogg2014/>

In July 2015, [[Ted Cruz]]'s book ''A Time For Truth'' was excluded from the list because the "overwhelming preponderance of evidence was that sales [of Cruz's book] were limited to strategic bulk purchases" to artificially increase sales and entry onto the list. In response, Cruz called the ''Times'' "a liar" and demanded an apology.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.politico.com/blogs/media/2015/07/cruz-campaign-new-york-times-is-lying-about-bulk-book-sales-210318 |title=Cruz campaign: ''New York Times'' is lying about bulk book sales |work=Politico |author=Dylan Byers |date=July 10, 2015 |access-date=September 3, 2015}}</ref> The ''Times'' said it stood by its statement and evidence of manipulation.

In August 2017, a young adult fiction book, ''[[Handbook for Mortals]]'' by previously unpublished author Lani Sarem was removed from the list, where it was in initially in the No. 1 spot. According to a statement issued by the ''Times'', "after investigating the inconsistencies in the most recent reporting cycle, we decided that the sales for ''Handbook for Mortals'' did not meet our criteria for inclusion. We've issued an updated 'Young Adult Hardcover' list for September 3, 2017 which does not include that title."<ref name=Italie/> It was uncovered, by author Phil Stamper, that there had been unusual bulk ordering patterns which inflated the number of sales.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.latimes.com/books/la-et-jc-handbook-for-mortals-bestseller-ya-20170824-story.html |title=Did a YA book buy its way to the top of the ''New York Times'' bestseller list? |newspaper=LA Times |author=Jessica Roy |date=August 24, 2017 |access-date=August 25, 2017}}</ref> The book is published by GeekNation, an entertainment website based in Los Angeles.<ref name=Italie>{{cite magazine|last1=Italie|first1=Hillel|title=Book Pulled From Best-Seller List|url=http://time.com/4917209/ny-times-best-seller-handbook-for-mortals/|access-date=September 11, 2017|magazine=Time|agency=Associated Press|date=August 26, 2017|archive-date=September 14, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170914095951/http://time.com/4917209/ny-times-best-seller-handbook-for-mortals/|url-status=dead}}</ref> The book was originally written as a script, and was rewritten as a novel in an attempt to launch a film franchise.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Ha|first1=Thu-Huong|title=A first-time author unwittingly exposed the house of cards beneath 'bestseller' books|url=https://qz.com/1062280/a-first-time-author-unwittingly-exposed-the-house-of-cards-beneath-bestseller-books/|access-date=September 11, 2017|work=Quartz|date=August 30, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/geeknation-launches-book-publishing-arm-partners-lani-sarem-ya-series-handbook-mortals-1024909 |title=GeekNation Launches Book Publishing Arm, Partners with Lani Sarem on YA Series 'Handbook for Mortals' |work=The Hollywood Reporter |author=Chris Gardner |date=July 28, 2017 |access-date=August 25, 2017}}</ref>

In August 2017, conservative publisher [[Regnery Publishing]] said it would no longer allow its writers to claim to be "''New York Times'' best-selling authors" due to its belief that the ''Times'' favors liberal books on the list. The ''Times'' responded that the political views of authors have no bearing on the list and noted conservative authors routinely rank highly on the list. The [[Associated Press]] noted the ''Times'' is a frequent target of conservatives and Republicans.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/09/04/us/ap-us-books-publisher-times-the-latest.html |title=The Latest: ''New York Times'' Denies List Favors Liberal Books |website=[[The New York Times]] |agency=Associated Press |date=September 4, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912124509/https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2017/09/04/us/ap-us-books-publisher-times-the-latest.html |archive-date=September 12, 2017 |url-status=dead}}</ref> ''[[The Washington Post]]'' called Regenery's ban a "stunt" designed to increase sales, "What better way to sell a book to a conservative audience than to promote the idea that the ''New York Times'' doesn't like it?" The ''Post'' compared the list to best seller lists from ''Publishers Weekly'' looking for bias but could not find anything convincing.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/09/06/why-a-conservative-book-publishers-protest-of-the-new-york-times-bestsellers-list-is-just-a-stunt/ |title=Why a conservative book publisher's protest of the ''New York Times'' bestsellers list is just a stunt |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |author=Callum Borchers and Kevin Uhrmacher |date=September 6, 2017 |access-date=September 12, 2017}}</ref>

In February 2018, the ''[[Toronto Star]]'' published a story by books editor Deborah Dundas who found that the best-selling book ''[[12 Rules for Life]]'' by [[Jordan Peterson]], who topped ''Publishers Weekly'' chart list, did not even chart on ''The New York Times'' bestsellers list, without reliable answers from the ''New York Times''. The ''Times'' stated it was not counted because it was published by a Canadian company.<ref>{{cite news|first=Deborah|last=Dundas|url=https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/2018/02/09/jordan-petersons-book-is-a-bestseller-except-where-it-matters-most.html|title=Jordan Peterson's book is a bestseller – except where it matters most|date=February 9, 2018|work=[[Toronto Star]]|access-date=March 3, 2018|archive-date=March 3, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303003913/https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/2018/02/09/jordan-petersons-book-is-a-bestseller-except-where-it-matters-most.html|url-status=live}}</ref> According to [[Random House of Canada|Random House Canada]], the book was handled properly for the U.S. market.<ref name="Hopper">{{cite news|url=https://edmontonjournal.com/news/canada/could-jordan-peterson-become-the-best-selling-canadian-author-of-all-time/wcm/46d59986-21ef-4b18-a7c6-b0edfd4b75ae|title=Could Jordan Peterson become the best-selling Canadian author of all time?|first=Tristin|last=Hopper|date=March 7, 2018|work=Edmonton Journal|access-date=March 12, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=Brian|last=Stelter|author-link=Brian Stelter|url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/04/16/media/trump-new-york-times-best-selling-books/index.html|title=Every top ''New York Times'' best-seller this year has been about Trump|date=April 16, 2018|work=[[CNN]]|access-date=April 17, 2018}}</ref> American conservative commentator [[Dennis Prager]] wrote an article for ''[[National Review]]'' titled "''The Times'' Best-Seller List: Another Reason Americans Don't Trust the Media" in which he contends that the issue with Peterson's book, as well his ''The Rational Bible: Exodus'', is their conservative context and the lack of inclusion is the American mainstream media's manipulation.<ref>{{cite news|first=Dennis|last=Prager|author-link=Dennis Prager|url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/04/new-york-times-bestseller-list-biased-book-news/|title=The Times Best-Seller List: Another Reason Americans Don't Trust the Media|date=April 17, 2018|work=[[National Review]]|access-date=April 17, 2018}}</ref> The ''Times'' denied any bias.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/new-york-times-denies-bias-against-conservative-authors-during-intense-shareholder-meeting-advocate-says|title=''New York Times'' denies bias against conservative authors during intense shareholder meeting, advocate says|author=Brian Flood|date=April 19, 2018|publisher=Fox News|access-date=October 22, 2018}}</ref>

In 2019, the release of [[Donald Trump Jr.]]'s book ''Triggered'' was shown to have only reached the best-seller list through approximately $100,000 in behind-the-scenes bulk purchases meant to pump up its sales numbers illegitimately.<ref name="NYT-Triggered">{{cite news |last1=Alter |first1=Alexandra |last2=Confessore |first2=Nicholas |date=November 21, 2019 |title=R.N.C. Spent Nearly $100,000 on Copies of Donald Trump Jr.'s Book |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/21/books/donald-trump-jr-triggered-sales.html |access-date=December 12, 2020}}</ref> ''[[Vanity Fair (magazine)|Vanity Fair]]'' reported in October 2020 that this sort of gaming of the system has been a common practice among American conservative political figures, and has also included the use of political campaign funds to purchase the books in bulk in order to boost their rank on the list.<ref name="VanityFairWeiss">{{cite news |last1=Weiss |first1=Angela |title=IS THE GOP GAMING THE ''NEW YORK TIMES'' BEST-SELLER LISTS? |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2020/10/is-the-gop-gaming-the-new-york-times-bestseller-lists |access-date=December 12, 2020 |agency=Vanity Fair}}</ref>

==Studies==
A [[Stanford Business School]] analysis suggests that the "majority of book buyers seem to use the ''Times''{{'}} list as a signal of what's worth reading".<ref name="stanford">{{cite web|url=http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/news/bmag/sbsm0502/research_sorensen_consumers.shtml|title=Readers Tap Best-Seller List for New Authors|publisher=Stanford Business Magazine|date=February 2005|access-date=December 23, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060920180813/https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/news/bmag/sbsm0502/research_sorensen_consumers.shtml|archive-date=September 20, 2006}} See also Alan T. Sorensen, ''Bestseller Lists and Product Variety: The Case of Book Sales'', May 2004.</ref> The study concluded that lesser-known writers get the biggest benefit from being on the list, while perennial best-selling authors, such as [[John Grisham]] or [[Danielle Steel]], see no benefit of additional sales.<ref name="stanford"/>

==See also==
{{Portal|Books}}
* [[Lists of The New York Times number-one books|Lists of ''The New York Times'' number-one books]]
* [[List of The New York Times Manga Best Sellers|Lists of ''The New York Times'' Manga Best Sellers]]
* [[Oprah's Book Club]]
* [[Publishers Weekly lists of bestselling novels in the United States|''Publishers Weekly'' lists of bestselling novels in the United States]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite web |last1=Barabási |first1=Albert-László | author-link= Albert-László Barabási |title=What big data can tell us about how a book becomes a best-seller |url=https://theconversation.com/what-big-data-can-tell-us-about-how-a-book-becomes-a-best-seller-106427 |access-date=July 19, 2019 |work=[[The Conversation (website)|The Conversation]] |date= November 28, 2018}}
* {{cite web | first= Kera | last= Bolonik | title= A list of their own | work= [[Salon (website)|Salon]] | date= August 16, 2000 | url= https://www.salon.com/test/2000/08/16/bestseller/ }} &nbsp;[controversy regarding the children's list]

==External links==
* [https://www.nytimes.com/pages/books/bestseller/ ''The New York Times'' Best Sellers (current)] – back to June 2008
* [http://www.hawes.com/pastlist.htm ''The New York Times'' Best Sellers (historical)] – back to 1931
* [http://www.hawes.com/no1_f_d.htm Previous fiction #1 best sellers]
* [http://www.hawes.com/no1_nf_d.htm Previous nonfiction #1 best sellers]

{{NYT number-one books}}
{{NY Times}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:New York Times Best Seller List}}
[[Category:The New York Times Best Seller list| ]]
[[Category:1931 establishments in New York City]]