does payola still exist in the music industry?

[woodstockbirdybird]

That's the only way I can figure it. How do bands get hit singles? It's obviously not based on merit. And I'm sure top 40 radio/MTV don't hold monthly meetings where they listen to new albums and decide what songs are the most aesthetically pleasing. So some record company promotion person hypes an artist and pushes for heavy rotation airplay. But they must offer some kind of incentive to programmers to play their acts, right? It might not be actual cash, but record companies have to reward stations for giving their bands airplay, right? I mean, the way I see it, ANY song could be a hit if you saturated the market with it. So why do we get the hits we do? Anybody know how this works?

[Snooooopy]

Originally posted by woodstockbirdybird
That's the only way I can figure it. How do bands get hit singles? It's obviously not based on merit. And I'm sure top 40 radio/MTV don't hold monthly meetings where they listen to new albums and decide what songs are the most aesthetically pleasing. So some record company promotion person hypes an artist and pushes for heavy rotation airplay. But they must offer some kind of incentive to programmers to play their acts, right? It might not be actual cash, but record companies have to reward stations for giving their bands airplay, right? I mean, the way I see it, ANY song could be a hit if you saturated the market with it. So why do we get the hits we do? Anybody know how this works?

Limp Bizkit's career was jumpstarted when its record company PAID radio stations a bunch of cash to play their song, "Counterfeit." But it's not payola, technically -- payola is when it's secret. The record company did it out in the open.

[Spritle]

What? Ya want I should tell ya da secret FOR FREE??

[DougC]

- - - Two Words: Vanilla Ice

[pldennison]

The record companies, by and large, aren't even the guiltiest parties--in order to distance themselves from perceived impropriety, they retain "independent promoters" who work for several labels. They'll aggressively call programmers across the country and push the singles: "Hey--are you playing the newest Backstreet Boys? Did you know that WXYZ in Spokane has it placing #1 in requests among males and females ages 18-35? By the way, the Boys will be in town next month, and I can get you an on-air interview in morning drive, plus lots of giveaways and concert tickets. I really recommend these guys for heavy rotation." Then on to the next of 50 phone calls. Simple as that.

A couple years ago, Rolling Stone did an excellent, well-researched piece on independent promoters (and how some of them ply programmers with women and drugs). Worth looking up if you can find it.

[Guy Propski]

As pl notes, payola has just become more subtle. Bands with labels that can afford to sponsor huge promotions will see their songs played until the laser burns a hole through the CD. Bands on small labels, however, don't have the bankroll to match this; the best they can do is the occassional free tickets and a couple of interviews.

It's not payola in that no one is explicitly saying, "I'll give you $XXXX if you play the latest Britney Spears piece of crap", but I still say the intent it there.

However, as to why crummy songs become #1, never discount the listening public's lack of taste. There are more pre-pubers with disposable income than ever, and they are the ones buying the singles from Britney/Christine/BackstreetBoyz/NSync/etc. They also have the free time to watch TRL or listen to the radio and request those songs to be played.

[RickJay]

Originally posted by pldennison
A couple years ago, Rolling Stone did an excellent, well-researched piece on independent promoters (and how some of them ply programmers with women and drugs). Worth looking up if you can find it.

Of course, "Rolling Stone" can be bought, too. It's hard to explain any other way how what purports to be a serious music publication had Britney Spears AND Christina Aguilera on its cover last year.

[kpm]

In the past sometimes the payment was in drugs like cocaine. A guy who used to work at Casablanca records in the 70's (home of Kiss and other groups) said that someone used to come by his office once a day and ask him how much coke he wanted. Some people probably still use drugs as payment.

MTV is the easiest way to get a hit now - you can just deal with them rather than lots of radio stations.