The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word HITMAKER
H
I
T
M
A
K
E
R
Buddy explains!
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does HITMAKER mean?
HITMAKER noun- A musician who frequently produces hits; a star