The Payola Scandal and the Business of Radio Airplay
The late-1950s payola scandal revealed that record labels were paying disc jockeys to play specific songs, a controversy that ended careers and reshaped American radio regulation.
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Radio DJs and the Shaping of Popular Taste
Before playlists and algorithms, radio disc jockeys decided what America heard, turning rock and roll from a regional curiosity into a national sound.
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The Birth of Rock and Roll in the 1950s
Rock and roll emerged in the 1950s from blues, rhythm and blues, and country traditions. This piece traces its origins, sound, artists, and legacy.
