The “Big Five” is the term for the five huge players in book publishing, owning the lion’s share of the global publishing landscape. The Big 5 consists of Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers, Penguin Random House, and Simon & Schuster. These publishers acquire books written mostly by Americans for Americans and are acquired, edited, and published in America.
Seeking a Publisher
Getting a traditional publishing contract starts with finding the right publisher. The Big Five publishers in the US are responsible for the vast majority of trade book publishing. When you walk into a store like Barnes & Noble or search through Amazon, the best-selling books or largely advertised books are often published by one of these Big Five houses. However, they fall outside the scope of indie publishers and prolific self-published books on Amazon.
Major Publishers Overview
Penguin Random House is the largest Big Five publishing house. With international locations that serve the world’s citizens, Simon & Schuster releases thousands of books across genres every year. Macmillan Publishers was founded in 1843 and was strengthened in 2015 after a number of mergers. With imprints like Farrar, Straus, and Giroux and St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Publishers release books in every genre.
Market Influence
Perhaps Penguin Random House may take over the publishing world more than ever before, leaving little room for others to rise up the ranks. Penguin Random House is now estimated to have about thirty percent of the U.S. book market. The scene of publishing alters more every day.
Who are the Big 5 publishers subsidiaries? The Big 5 consists of Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers, Penguin Random House, and Simon & Schuster.
Who owns the major book publishers? The “Big Five” own much of the global publishing landscape.