hitmaker

noun

hit·​mak·​er ˈhit-ˌmā-kər 

variants or hit-maker

plural hitmakers or hit-makers

: one known for producing popular hits in the entertainment industry

… with Hollywood's alltime hitmaker anchoring the Sunday night lineup …

—Richard Corliss

especially : a popular and successful recording artist or group

… whose music is sampled and recycled by mainstream hitmakers, including Rihanna, Beyoncé, and Lil Wayne.

—Mark Guarino

hitmaking

ˈhit-ˌmā-kiŋ 

adjective

or hit-making

Despite his hitmaking prowess, David is no manufactured teen dream.

—Matt Diehl

… the group was a hit-making machine through the 1980's …

—Jon Pareles

Examples of hitmaker in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Having cemented his status as one of the format’s most consistent hitmakers, the Academy of Country Artist of the Decade’s latest studio album will be released the day before Aldean returns to headline University of Georgia’s Sanford Stadium alongside Bryan, a fellow Georgia native. —Brandy McDonnell, Oklahoman, 27 Feb. 2026

This past year, the hitmaker has posted about her husband a few times on Instagram, including on his birthday in July. —Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 26 Feb. 2026

The number of monthly listeners for Lukather’s band, Toto, along with many classic rock artists such as Journey, Boston, Heart, Bon Jovi and Styx consistently hit above 10 million, on par with plenty of contemporary hitmakers. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 25 Feb. 2026

Good Girl Gone Bad, one of her earliest sets, which helped turn her into a global hitmaker, opened in second-to-last place, at No. 49. —Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 14 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for hitmaker

• blackacre
• caretaker
• clockmaker
• dressmaker
• filmmaker
• homemaker
• icebreaker
• lawmaker
• matchmaker
• pacemaker
• partaker
• peacemaker