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What is payola? -

The term payola was first coined by Variety magazine in 1938. It's a combination of "pay" and "-ola," the latter of which is a suffix of product names common in the early 20th century, such as Rock-Ola, the manufacturer of juke boxes and related coin-operated entertainment machines.

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'Rock Around the Clock' -

In 1954, Bill Haley & His Comets recorded 'Rock Around the Clock' for the Decca Records label. It was the B-side to his single 'Thirteen Women.' The single was a commercial disappointment, and that would probably have been the end of the story had it not been for Glenn Ford.

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'Blackboard Jungle' (1955) -

The actor was starring in the social drama 'Blackboard Jungle,' for which the producers were looking for a song. 'Rock Around the Clock' was chosen and played over the picture's opening credits.

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An anthem for rebellion -

Its inclusion in the film took 'Rock Around the Clock' to no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The recording also became an anthem for rebellious 1950's youth. The music industry never looked back.

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A musical revolution -

'Rock Around the Clock' eventually became one of the biggest singles of all time. It fueled a musical revolution and ushered in a new generation of stars.

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Rock 'n' roll stars -

Bill Haley paved the way for the likes of Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, and Little Richard.

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"Rock and roll" goes mainstream -

This rebellious new sound was not lost on the men who broke the music on the radio, the disc jockeys, or DJs. One of these DJs, Alan Freed, actually popularized the phrase "rock and roll" on mainstream radio.

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Power and influence -

In the second half of the 1950s, DJs, also known as radio show hosts, were as much a part of rock 'n' roll culture as the singers themselves. They wielded a lot of power and influence, as much, in fact, as television hosts.

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Beyond radio -

Their clout meant that some DJs became celebrities in their own right. Alan Freed, for example, was also a concert producer and staged hugely successful shows where some of the biggest names of the era appeared together on the same stage.

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Maximum exposure -

Any budding rock 'n' roll star would want their music played on the most popular radio station by a recognized DJ and at the right time for maximum exposure.

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A huge choice of music -

DJs were tasked not just with spinning vinyl. They were also responsible for sorting through thousands of tracks delivered to them by recording studios and companies.

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What to play -

Artists, managers, and music publishers would also mail DJs a bewildering assortment of singles and long playing discs.

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Paying for playing -

Inevitably, perhaps, these entities established deals with selected DJs for prioritizing playlisting on their shows. The more the songs were played, the greater the financial kickback for the artists, songwriters, publishers, and recording labels.

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The practice of payola -

This illegal practice of paying a commercial radio station to play a song without the station disclosing the payment was known as payola. And DJs participating in the scam were paid "listening fees," sometimes many thousands of dollars.

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Origins of payola -

The origin of payola is often associated with a man called Hy Weiss who in the early 1950s established Old Town Records. Among the acts signed to the label were several well-known doo wop groups, including the Capris and the Solitaires (pictured). Weiss is credited with inventing the "$50 dollar handshake" where money would be exchanged for preferential airplay.

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The quiz show scandals -

The so-called 1950s quiz show scandals exposed the practice of payola. The popularity of radio quiz shows between 1938 and 1956 led to the creation of television quiz shows, notably 'Twenty-One.'

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Payola televised -

In order to generate high ratings, appease advertisers, and secure the longevity of the show, some contestants were fed answers to the quizzes, and were paid handsomely for maintaining the fraud. Others were asked to miss questions intentionally and walked away with less.

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Payola exposed -

In 1956, a disgruntled former contestant, Herb Stemple, testified that he'd been coached by the show's producers to allow his opponent, Charles Van Doren, to win the game. NBC took the show off the air after the scandals made headlines. Later as a direct consequence of the exposé, Congress amended the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit networks from prearranging the outcomes of quiz shows.

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Payola puts music industry in a spin -

The quiz show scandals subsequently exposed the payola practice in the music business. In 1959, Life magazine ran an article about widespread disc jockey bribery and how the American public were tired of being duped.

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"An issue of public morality" -

No less a figure than President Dwight D. Eisenhower proclaimed the controversies "an issue of public morality," and that same year the first US Congressional Payola Investigations took place.

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The purge begins -

The impending investigation saw many radio stations fearing for their broadcasting licenses. A nationwide purge of DJs who could bring their organizations into disrepute was followed by stations refusing to play rock 'n' roll music.

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Hundreds of DJs rounded up -

In 1960 even before the House Oversight Subcommittee investigation had commenced, 335 DJs from around the country admitted to having received thousands of dollars in "consultation fees."

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Alan Freed and Richard Clark -

It soon became apparent that two of the biggest and most popular rock 'n' roll DJs were central to the investigation: Alan Freed and Dick Clark.

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'American Bandstand' -

The public were stunned. Dick Clark was the host of 'American Bandstand,' a hugely popular music-performance and dance television program on which many rock 'n' roll artists were introduced.

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Payola investigations commence -

Clark testified before House payola investigators and complained that he'd been "convicted, condemned and denounced" on payola charges before being given a chance to tell his side of the story. The TV personality said that he had never accepted payola.

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Clark cleared of wrongdoing -

While Clark's personal investments in music publishing and recording companies were considered a conflict of interest, the House ultimately cleared him of any wrongdoing.

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Freed found guilty -

It was a very different story with Freed. Demonstrating an abrasive and uncooperative manner during the committee proceedings, Freed initially denied taking bribes but later admitted that he had in fact accepted money. This led him to being fired by his employer, the New York commercial radio station WABC (AM).

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Clark exonerated -

Fully exonerated, Clark went on to present 'American Bandstand' until 1986, as well as successfully branching out into hosting game shows.

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Reputation in tatters -

Alan Freed's career was ruined. After the scandal, no radio station would employ him. Though regarded as a trailblazer for rock 'n' roll, Freed died penniless and in obscurity in 1965, a victim of drink and his own greed. He was 43 years old.

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Payola outlawed, but still practiced? -

The practice of payola was outlawed in 1960, with radio DJs stripped of the authority to make programming decisions. However, many thought the hearings on payola merely reorganized the practice rather than eradicating it.

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Playlists still rigged? -

For example, according to The Regulatory Review, music streaming services such as Spotify may include songs in users' "suggested" playlists in exchange for compensation.

Sources: (History.com) (Medium) (Vice) (The Regulatory Review)

See also: Notable celebrity scandals from the 1970s

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