No shit, Sherlock. Most people assume that they hear a song everywhere because its popular. Thats not the case — a song is popular because its played everywhere. It is technically illegal for major labels to pay radio stations directly to play certain songs, but that doesnt mean it doesnt happen. The phenomenon is called payola (an amalgam of the words pay and Victrola), and it was rampant in the 1960s up through the 80s, during which period the music industry was literally run by the mob. It still happens today, even though it isnt as blatant. Labels pay independent promoters to incentivize radio stations to play their music, or create program caps to make sure a song gets enough plays to have its effect. Theres real neuroscience behind the strategy: If you hear something enough, youll start to like it.
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 05:39:13 +0000