Payola Archives - Alan Cross' A Journal of Musical Things

The US Government is wondering about the legality of this Spotify feature

The American recorded music industry has had a payola problem for decades. To be clear, it is illegal for someone

There’s now a board game for cats. Please enjoy. And now, music news for April 13, 2021. Here’s an ask

Lest we forget. And now, music news for November 11, 2020. This song won’t play well with the MAGA types

How long before someone comes up with song called “My Corona (Virus)” to the tune of “My Sharona?” It’s bound

My winter speaking tour starts tonight. Details here. Maybe we’ll end up discussing the music news of January 23, 2020.

On this day in 1977, the last guillotine execution was carried out in France. With that imagery in mind, here’s

It’s officially back to school season, innit? Distract yourself from how quickly summer is passing with this look at music

Back in the spring, I had dinner with a couple of old friends who work in the American music business.

NO MORE GDPR EMAILS! PLEASE! I don’t even subscribe to 75% of these newsletters! And now, for music news on

Payola–the practice of paying someone to play your music on the radio–has been around since at least the 1950s. After

Payola, the practice of paying to have a song played on the radio, has long been illegal. While non-existent in

Being your Authentic Self – Richard Crouse in conversation with TBP Podcast EP 035 July 2, 2021
You would be given a free pass if you forgot that before the rise of the social media influencer there were already pundits and personalities on TV, radio and print. There’s just been that much exponential change in the media business over the last 15 years. Yet today, those who were formerly the audience are […]
Mark Silver
The Business of Radio – Elliott Hurst in conversation with TBP Podcast EP 034 June 21, 2021
The commercialization of streaming audio is not a new phenomenon. Going back 100 years, it was simply known by another name, broadcasting. With the launch, rise and now transition to digital and apps, the business models of audio-preneurs have generally been the same, mostly because of the challenge of measurement, a problem audio’s cousin television […]
Mark Silver
The Custodian of Toronto Sports – Richard Peddie in conversation with TBP Podcast EP 033 May 27, 2021
Over a 20+ year span, as the Toronto pro sports scene evolved from older venues and stands filled with blue and white (Leafs, Blue Jays, Argonauts) to a more intense red (Raptors, TFC), and grand coliseums that define the city’s skyline, there is one sports executive in particular who ownership looked to. We’re of course […]
Mark Silver