This is an interesting question because I feel the opposite… but at the same time, not entirely. And a big part of it comes down to Episode having this big author subculture.
Popular authors will make buddies with other big authors and almost exclusively promote the other in a reader-based quid pro quo. You can imagine how that would amplify reads and keep them at the top spot. (It’s also why you don’t normally see big authors speak out against other big authors - or at least instigate anything - because doing so can burn bridges with popular friends of popular authors, not just the one they’re fighting with.) I’ve noticed that big authors also like to support ones who seem like they’re “up and coming” in terms of reads, story content, etc. It can be very cold and economic.
On the other hand, I’ve also found that readers tend to outgrow the author (of any size) eventually. So big authors will write what used to get them the top reads but no longer does because pieces of their fanbase keep moving on to other things. They get stale for people despite them recycling plots and cliches. So… people like cliches, but perhaps not as much as one might think.
Also, hi! Welcome to Episode. 