Payola still alive

Since the beginning of music being played on the radio there has been what we call payola (paying the DJ's to play records) involved in the system. Why is this an important factor? Reason that this is an important factor is because this gives it an unfair advantage to an artist. This happens by the record being played over and over until it becomes so familiar that you can't help but like it. This may give some artist more exposure than others, which creates the unfair advantage. The airplay is not based on talent and creative music but more on pay to play. This basically dictates what music that the consumer is exposed to.

In the late 50's iconic Disc Jockey Dick Clark was accused of payola schemes, which involved him receiving songwriter royalties for over 150 pop songs. Most currently major label Sony was under investigation in 2005 for payola (pay for play) rewarding DJ's for playing Jessica Simpson and J-Lo songs. Sony was forced to pay a 10 million fine for its activities in the payola schemes. After these major cases payola is still alive but in a different form. Instead of paying a Disc Jockey to play a song, how about we own the radio station! That's what Clear channel a corporation that owns many radio stations has been doing over the past couple of years. Now major labels pay a set fee to have certain artist played at a particular time and certain number of times. In 2006 the FCC launched an investigation on payola practices of hundreds of radio stations.

So the question is it still alive? Of course just think about it, how many times do you hear Lil Wayne all over your radio station or Drake? Too many right, and there is so many other songs out there but due to Clear Channel owning the stations you wont hear those other songs too often.