payola

bribe

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Last updated

July 23, 2026

Quick Summary

Payola is a form of indirect or undercover payment made to a disc jockey or radio personality for promoting a particular recording. This practice is essentially a bribe, where record companies would offer money, stocks, or gifts to disc jockeys to gain favor and ensure their music was played.12

The term "payola" emerged in 1938 and became a significant issue in the music industry, particularly in the 1950s. A federal investigation in 1959 brought widespread attention to this commercial bribery, causing it to diminish for a time, though exposés in the mid-1980s indicated the practice persisted.2

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disc jockey
…or gifts (commonly known as payola). This widespread practice of commercial bribery was given national exposure by a federal investigation in 1959. As a result, payola faded for a while, but in the mid-1980s new exposés revealed that the practice continued to exist in many quarters.
Read More
…or gifts (commonly known as payola). This widespread practice of commercial bribery was given national exposure by a federal investigation in 1959. As a result, payola faded for a while, but in the mid-1980s new exposés revealed that the practice continued to exist in many quarters.
Read More

radio
The rise of Top 40 radio
The radio “payola” scandal of the late 1950s (in which deejays and others took bribes to tout certain records) saw many lose their jobs; the practice went underground, to reappear several times in subsequent years.
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The radio “payola” scandal of the late 1950s (in which deejays and others took bribes to tout certain records) saw many lose their jobs; the practice went underground, to reappear several times in subsequent years.
Read More