Spitzer said that despite the sweeping use of iPods and the Internet to get music, it still all comes down to airtime. He said the latest version of payola involved people at the highest corporate level of record labels and radio broadcasting companies. "It is certainly the case that payola has been a part of the promotional structure for many of the artists who are out there," Spitzer told ABC News. They benefited from what New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer called payola. While the songs became hugely popular, it took more than just popularity and talent to get them played on the radio. "I think back in the '70s, they used to pay people with hookers and cocaine, and now they're just doing it with straight-up money - so they can go out and buy their own hookers and cocaine." E-mails Tell the StoryĪccording to music industry documents, payments to radio stations in a variety of forms have helped launch some of the country's best-known hits and Grammy winners, including last year's Grammy winner for song of the year, "Daughters," by John Mayer, and last year's best new artist Grammy winner, Maroon 5. "I think that's been going on a really, really long time," said Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins. Others were also not surprised that payola still existed. People are trying to get what they want done, and they'll pay for it if they've got the money, sure." Apple added that she did not know if payola was responsible for getting any of her work on the airwaves. Grammy nominee Fiona Apple told ABC News, "It's a business about money. It costs a lot of money to make something famous." When asked if he believed if payola still existed in the industry, veteran artist Tony Bennett said, "Absolutely. Payola was a multimillion-dollar secret that was out in the open at last week's Grammy festivities in Los Angeles, where a number of recording artists on the red carpet said it was an unfortunate part of the industry. "It cost something close to $700,000 to $800,000 to get 'Closing Time' on the air," said Slichter, "to keep it on the air long enough for people, for public taste to really grab on to it, yeah. Payola, what many authorities would call bribes, is money and gifts that record companies and middlemen give to radio stations to play songs.
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