“When I first started, it was hookers and blow [to help get songs on the air],” Donnelly says. “Then that disappeared and it became sports tickets, trips, sneakers and the like. It changed over time so that it became much more sophisticated. At the end of the day, the labels still wanted hit records and the radio stations wanted cash.”
As a result of the New York investigation, each of the major labels agreed to pay multimillion-dollar settlements. Radio chains like CBS and Entercom also paid financial penalties. In addition, the major labels committed to significant “business reforms” in the ensuing deal with the New York attorney general’s office.
“Take a look at the Mediabase chart and look at how many people got one, two, or three spins [a week],” adds the veteran who spent $50,000 buying spins. Songs become radio hits only if they get played in bulk; a couple of spins a week is not enough for a track to become familiar to casual listeners. “How do you break a record spinning it once a week?” the veteran asks. “For $300.” A rep for Mediabase declined to comment for this article.
To promote a single in the Top 40 format, “you’re probably gonna hire 10 different indies on every record,” Tom says. “There could be one guy who has one station you want, another guy who has 12 stations that you want. I don’t think there’s any way somebody could have a hit at radio without having to do that.
Two people working in promotion point out that major radio chains like iHeartMedia and Cumulus have tried to distance themselves from pay-for-play, mostly by refusing to work with indie promoters. Since those two chains control many of the stations that make up the radio charts, this distancing limits the impact of any payola-type activity.
“On the surface, it looks sleazy and cheesy, and at times it is,” sums up James, the promotions veteran. “But it’s also on the up-and-up.” Recently, however, he says he refused to pay “the toll” to a station that had a relationship with one of the prominent independent promoters working in pop. As a result, James claims the station refused to put his song into rotation until it already went Number One.
“My sense is it’s extremely common for there to be some kind of financial transaction taking place between the station and the label,” says one FCC source
A radio campaign costs a lot more than 50k in the US.
Any difference? For three decades, Ansliger fed propaganda to the media which all labeled “marijuana” as the cause. He proceeded to use the same stories and headlines to justify cannabis prohibition. His propaganda focused on racist themes/ misinformation.
What. A. Shock. 🙄
MTVHottest BTS BTS_twt
This we know all to well. BTS_twt springdayclub
JasonIsbell Surprising
Yikes! Guess I’ll have to just keep hustling our tracks in people’s mentions! ;)
BTSCHARTSLAYER Hotdeym. MPN ARMY BTS BoyWithLuv BTS_twt
Oh wow my heart literally skipped a beat.
Wut?
OK.
JasonIsbell Payola has been going on since time immemorial. Be interesting to see if the same thing happens with streaming and YouTube plays.
That’s why radio is filled with garbage and most ppl have moved on.
BTS Organic Success™
JasonIsbell It’s a shame DJs these days don’t have the integrity of Dr. Johnny Fever.
As an ARMY, its amusing seeing others commenting about this when its older than BTS. Anyone who dismissed you either wasn't from the US or didn't pay enough attention to overall radio play over the past 20 years. Its obvious even without BTS as an example.
JasonIsbell Promoters have always found a way around the official prohibition on pay for play.
Wbk?
No shit.
JasonIsbell Payola lives...
Not surprised I mean they barely play BTS_twt music even tho we request non stop and they are the biggest band in the world. 👀😑
JasonIsbell No shit, Sherlock.
JasonIsbell
JasonIsbell Shocked!
JasonIsbell hmm.. let's see before I open the article I'm guessing 'independent promoters'
But I thought it was based on talent and quality. 🙄
wait... really...?
Wow 👀
no really....y'all kinda late to the party....wbk
Like...
Another reason why Radio play should not be weighted so heavy for charts. MTVHottest BTS BTS_twt
Most Requested Live 👀
me trying to act surprised :
Can’t wait to read this MPN BTS ARMY BoyWithLuv BTS_twt
I didn't know this before. 😮
Oh wow! 👁👄👁
We been knew
Payola IN Radio and Bundles to FAKE Chart ........ My question is how big of a joke will insiders allow the US music business to become before something is done to correct these practices.
Wow!!! How odd it is...💅💅💅
I'm shocked I tell you...completely shocked!🙄
ARMYS HAVE BEEN CALLING BS ON PAYOLA, RADIO-PLAY, BUYING YT ADS, FOR FAKE VIEWS, BUNDLES YET NO ONE BELIEVED US
😂😂 yea but now it's called a 'corporate initiative'.
Well obviously. Why else would maroon 5 be on the radio all the damn time
How unexpected.. MPN ARMY BTS BTS_twt
Omg I never knew about it 😱 MPN BTS ARMY BoyWithLuv BTS_twt
Shocking! Like know one knew...
wbk but thank ya
Anyway stan BTS organic kings BTS_twt MPN BTS ARMY BoyWithLuv
Expose more the bundles issue Also massive paid curated placement on SPOUTNIK...the green app & other 🤡
I think you should also do coverage about bundles, emphasising how BTS smashing industry w/o, cause it's quite phenomenal. Bundles numbers, which I believe your charts count too, on the other hand, are not that phenomenal.
Payola for playlisting on Spotify and Apple M playlists - expose labels and their artists for it
Ummmmm....ya think?
Some things never change
LilJeonKook who would’ve thought
😏😏😏😏
What! Really? I never would have thought 😑😑😑
GREED!!!!!!!!!!
Breaking news: wbn
Nooooooo! Realllllllyyyyyy? No waaaaaaayyyyy........
Oh...
Wbk. So what’s next
I'm very shocked MPN BTS ARMY (BTS_twt)
btbtbtsssssss_ Pretend to be surprised
shocked and upset 😐🤚🏾
Omg this was the biggest secret in the music biz like the 4TH SECRET OF FATIMA OR THE HOLY GRAIL OR EVEN E.T WHICH TRULLY EXIST & ARE HIDDEN BY THE VATICAN But Radio host said to army with their whole pure chest that such thing does not exict cuz it's illegal The PROBITY IS REAL
elliotsang You don't say🤡
...are we supposed to be surprised at this? MPN BTS ARMY BoyWihtLuv
btbtbtsssssss_ Quality memes here. Thanks guys
what a surprise! can you see my 'surprised' face? here it is
No shit you needed to conduct an investigation for that, like if you ain't dropping some names get back in line.
btbtbtsssssss_ I'm so surprised 👀
You don’t say
Yeah 🇺🇸 radio Army been knew. Not gonna change tho. But we will continue to 💪
Un secreto a voces como se suele decir algo que se sabe pero nadie comenta
Muchos usan esto para 'triunfar', pagan en YT por Vistas y MG (también en IG), Ventas de álbumes, Transmisiones en radio, (Incluso hemos sabido de pagos en fanbases grandes para promo de otros grupos). Las compañías y su $$ están engañando al PG, es hora de cambiar el Juego
Are you serious? I never would have guessed..thanks for your deep and thorough investigation.
Some smart ARMYs educated us on radio play payola abt a year ago, but thanks for reinforcing. 👍🏼 BTS_twt
We’ve been trying to tell you this for two damn years
Who would've thought MPN BTS ARMY BoyWithLuv BTS_twt
Jajajaj y debemos sorprendernos? MPN BTS ARMY BoyWithLuv BTS_twt 🇧🇷
WE BEEN KNEW SINCE XYEAR!
The fact that it’s only armys in the comments 💀
Whaaaaat no way🙄
Shocking. This has gone on forever and always will
sarahw_47 Who could have ever guessed?
Oh really?! 🥴
O.M.G .😱😱!!!! ..... ok im done acting🚶🏻♀️🚶🏻♀️🚶🏻♀️i’ll let myself out👋🏼👋🏼
Fake success in charts 🥺
This didnt need no investigation. We been known this shit for the longest time💀💀
This all comes as news to me. 🤯😏 MPN BTS BTS_twt
Quick Armys act surprised!
I don't get the BTS/ARMY connection to this story
wow this is BONKERS
Thanks.
All of BTS_twt ARMY:
Well that was definitely the least obvious thing ever wow imagine my shock rn
Why am I not suprised
Hagamos como que no nos habíamos dado cuenta? MPN BTS ARMY BoyWithLuv BTS_twt
BTS_TWT
Debemos hacernos los sorprendidos? Ok MPN BoyWithLuv BTS Army BTS_TWT
no duh 🙄
Let me act shocked. 😯😳🤥
No way....
*pretends to be shocked*
Well is not like we didn't already knew that but thanks for confirmation ig MPN BTS ARMY
...
Ya don’t say...
BTS_twt MPN BTS
oh look new news
Omg I never knew
Aha... MPN ARMY BTS BTS_twt
Wait, did u just-
You've GOT to be yanking my chain!
I mean, wbk
really? damn, we had no idea.