While many of our favorite artists have fielded allegations of benefiting from “payola” – the act of a platform (streaming or radio outlets mainly) accepting pay or bribes from record labels to boost an artist’s chart or certification stats – the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) believes the practice has simply gotten out of hand.
With Gold, Platinum, and Diamond certifications being handed out left and right thanks to the Recording Industry of America’s inclusion of streaming in its tallying since 2016, the FCC – which stands as the United States’ “primary authority for communications law, regulation, and technological innovation” – has begun a probe to determine if these successes are being accomplished legitimately.
More inside:
O’Rielly for FCC
On Wednesday, FCC commissioner Mike O’Rielly sent an official letter to the Recording Industry Association of America asking the trade organization to investigate “possible violations of federal laws and regulations that expressly prohibit payola.” “Your association is uniquely situated to survey the practices of your industry and respond to press reports regarding alleged practices,” O’Rielly writes. “My primary goal is to get to the bottom of existing industry practices to determine whether the law is being followed or whether any problematic conduct must be addressed.” [source]
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First, it should be noted the practice of “payola” is not illegal as long as it is publicized and there is recorded information that details the transaction that occurred between the label (or artist representative) and radio station or streaming platform. Conversely, the act of undisclosed pay-for-play has been prohibited since 1960 following “a congressional investigation of corruption at radio.” The latter is believed to be what is presently rampant in the music industry.
Secondly, it should be noted the recording association is not directly being accused of actively participating in the practice of payola (yet) as much as there is suspicion, hence the call to investigate the possibility of infraction. Keep in mind the RIAA only certifies artists AFTER a record label submits request for certification. As such, the “unique position” referred to by O’Rielly in his statement is the organization’s role in reviewing, auditing, and accepting or rejecting those label requests for fairness and accuracy before awarding a Gold, Platinum, or Diamond plaque.
As of time reported, the RIAA has not responded. Click here to read the letter they received in full.
so wait…
cardi beats nicki for certifications and now the FCC is investigating payola? i cannot. this is pricessl
*priceless
LOL i said the same thing, all that ish folks talked about Nicki’s pure sales vs cardi’s streams yesterday, and now this. I hollered when I read this article. None of these kids’ little streaming faves are safe anymore lmfao!!
And Nicki announced her retirement on the same day
Cardi is shaking
Why should Cardi be shaking when her songs are right where we can all see them. On Billboard charts, Spotify charts, Apple Music charts, Itunes, radio charts etc. It’s artists that get certifications and we haven’t seen it on the Hot 100 or in the upper regions of Spotify and Itunes that make me go WTF!
Um, thats exactly the reason why they’re under investigation, her songs are all over the place but the numbers don’t add up. Thats why cardi is shaking lol.
FCC stands for Fraud Camilla Cabello.
RIGHT! Epic Records paid to have her song played all day yesterday on pop radio at the top of each hour lol.
Not to take credit from no one but there are plenty big names who don’t play fear. After beyonce and Kanye got caught I felt like plenty other artist was faking numbers.
Yoo, all I’m gonna say is it’s gonna be FUNNY & INTERESTING to see what this investigation brings and what “artists” get affected by this. J Cole recently said it “A lot of y’all ain’t as big as you seem, faking your streams from machines” but bruh. Didn’t think s*** would hit the fan this quick lol
Katy got caught for doing bribery for radio stations
So it’s not far fetched Atlantic is doing the same s*** cardi and lilnasx
Katy got caught for doing bribery for radio stations
So it’s not far fetched Atlantic is doing the same s*** cardi and Columbia w lilnasx
How did they get caught?
Try again neither Beyoncé or looney ass Kanye regularly submit their albums or singles for certification there is nothing suspicious about their sales or certifications for any of their singles or albums. Beyoncé ain’t going around claiming formation is triple platinum ??. Your fave could very well be one who uses Payola regularly.
speak on it.
Wrong, tidal was exposed last year for faking their streaming numbers, which inflated their certifications. beyonce and kanye are tied in to this as well.
Falling for that tidal propaganda… anyone who is anyone knows apple and Spotify had a negative campaign against tidal… nullifying a black owned streaming business that would compete and allow artists to have power and earn more than pennies from streaming. Again Beyoncé and Kanye are not submitting suspicious certifications to Riaa. Both of them have experienced sales decline normal with artists of their age and generation.
Somebody better call Christ Brown and tell it!!!
Beyonce is the last person you could accuse of payola considering how criminally undercertified her albums are! I AM Sasha Fierce has been stuck at 2x platinum since 2009 when everyone knows it should be way more than that. The same is true of her other albums.
Didn’t Rihanna get certified platinum on the day of her album release because a phone company purchased over a million copies of her album? Give it a rest.
You just a cardi fan
I always wondered if Ariana hit songs were a result of payola. Hmmm. I mean, she is popular but I’m just sayin.
RIGHT! If anyone, she’s going to expose Ariana. Went all those years not getting a #1 then she suddenly gets two back to back? Hmmm…
But what is not suspicious about Ariana is that her album rollout followed a traditional trajectory: Huge Hit lead single followed subsequent hit album. Also worth noting that her ascent is marked by a change in the style of her music – so it appears they found her ‘Lane’ that resonates best with her fans (and casual listeners) and they engaged in it
Nicki is really a sore looser
?Nicki’s name is nowhere in this yet you uncover fans always got her name in ya mouths, swear she’s washed up but then say she’s powerful enough to this, make ya minds sis
Damn son, by you bringing Nicki name in an unrelated post about the FCC launching an investigation about payola makes it seem like you hinting you might be nervous about something, or someone.. LOL
To be quite honest I drive lyft and doordash all over Ohio and also Pennsylvania some parts at least and on those radio stations I rarely hear nicki being played her old music but Megatron and that Barbie song got certifications I just don’t see how even in atl my cousins said they barely hear her as well
Because it’s not just radio play it’s video views and streams meaning even if they put nicki in 10000 playlists on Apple Music and u got ur device on shuffle u gon hear it
No one listens to the radio for music anymore that’s why they play the same 20 songs
ummm first thing lets state the obvious…RIAA has NOTHING to do with RADIO! like that is completely out of the damn equation! how dumb are you….it doesn’t matter if the song is on the radio i.e…Rihanna’s Man Down wasnt a radio hit but it’s 2x Platinum…why? well look at the sales and streams. so as far as any payola on the radio front has nothing to do with the RIAA. not ONE certification has anything to do with radio. if you dont hear a song as much maybe it’s because the public are streaming it or bought it so there is no need to promote/play it as much. certifications are from the RIAA not Billboard. This is why a “Man Down” can be double platinum peaking at #59 and some other radio hits peak at #8 and can’t scan GOLD.
LOL cardi’s exposure getting you back in your feeling over nicki again lol
Omg lmfaooo y’all that mad nicki just needs to take her L gracefully you guys always make her look bad I have to laugh….. Cardi b greatest female rapper y’all !
FACT
Still bringing up nicki on a post that has nothing to do with her. cardi got yall seriously shook because shes about to be exposed lmao.
Laughable!
Cardi B is the Greatest Karaoke Rapper every.
?????
Lizzo slayed and snatched Nicki Minaj and Normani’s wig
They are done!!!!
No one is done besides your bald headed mother go suck CardiBs herppee infested vagginnaa you dirty asss ccuunnttt
Biatch i think you are talking about yourself? Are u having yeast infection? Are u running out of weave or wig?
Everyone knows u are bald
U are just mad coz Lizzo forced your faves to fall free to #66 and force Nicki to retire
Lizzo ended Nicki Minaj career and crippled Normani’s chance for top 20 ?????
Yeah, and when their done with this payola investigation, Nicki will still be the biggest selling rapper, normani will still have her career, and the only thing lizzo will be slaying is the nearest popeyes or KFC.
Whatever! This practice has been going on for decades. Next story!!!
So see after Nicki Minaj and Normano’s payola and hype, both r still grammyless and no number ones
????
You better worrry about your payola faves cardi and lizzo, what are they gonaa do when their frauds are exposed?
They need to look at fradi b and quality control extra carefully. something fraudulent about that whole team.
Cardi been real quiet lately… she usually have ha big herp mouth wide open.
They tryna write her album she gotta learn how to pronounce the words
Let’s hope they expose the machines Atlantic records used to fake streams for some of their artists.
expose the Grammys too! insiders are saying some on the grammy voting committee are taking bribe money from record labels for votes.
lmao this got to be about cardi ?
Nicki is behind this. It’s sad that she cannot accept defeat and “retire” with grace. Girl, you’re embarrassing yourself. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICES
Yeah, because Nicki has the power to influence a 60 year old organization. Girl shut up lol.
Girl, anyone can write an anonymous letter asking for an investigation of anything. You’re blind. Read a book. Nicki is the one that will be exposed and looking foolish with this.
The fact that y’all gotta make up these wild scenarios about Nicki Minaj is pathetic clown s***. Y’all never have proof and almost always convince yourself of the b******* in your mind.
Sidenote: the guy in the pic above looks….interesting. Can he be trusted?
hes probably cardi’s manager lmao
Watch this backfire on Nicki and they expose HER as the one that used payola illegally lol. She wants to end Cardi so badly. I cannot wait for the investigation to be completed and show that Cardi’s certifications are legit and NICKI is the fraud. She is so salty and bitter! Why can she not accept that her time is up and her style of rap is outdated. The general public is over you Nicki. We know this is you
Damn Nicki really has control of your mind lol. Nicki Minaj doesn’t have the power to influence a 60 year organization that has already been investigating this practice for decades. Learn how to read; they’re investigating the current wave of artists that are receiving certifications on a daily basis. That would be cardi dear, not Nicki. Nicki’s SALES (not streams) are already counted for, confirmed and certified. cardi is the one getting certifications for music that hasn’t even sold 100k copies. So brace yourself for cardi’s exposure sweetie, your Nicki hatred isn’t gonna stop it.
B****, anyone can anonymously reach out to the FCC or any other organization and ask for an investigation. Are you serious right now? It doesn’t take “power and influence”…it takes righting an anonymous letter.
lmaoooooo uh oh, the #RETARDIgang rats are SHOOK and SCARED AF today lmfaoooooooooooo!!!
I love cardi but isn’t God great I mean how can she beat NIckis award as most certified RIAA’s nost certified female rapper it doesnt add up sorry and I’m bardi gang
Yo I swear I was thinking that.. this girl has One album and about 4 to 6 features and u telling me she already beat Nicki. Something about that doesnt sounds right
It’s easy. Cardi’s certs are for her own songs and not someone else’s that she featured on.
Keep fooling yourself ignorant is bliss I stan neither but nicki’s more authentic than cardi ever will be. Only thing you have on nicki is gossip site of he said see said yet no one NOT EVEN REMY MA BROUGHT THE RECEIPTS BUT AS FOR CARDI AKA MRS ATLANTIC RECORDS S**** . I WONT BE SURPRISED WHAT HAPPENS TO HER IN THE NEAR FUTURE… I HAVE BREN DOING MY RESEARCH AND A LOT OF TBESE S*** IS ATLANTIC RECORDS ATTACHED TO IT. I BELIEVED YALL WITH ALL THE HATE TRAIN WITH NICKI BUT NOW I SEE WHAT THE F*** IS GOING ON … AGAIN YOU LIKR MANY OTHERS ARE NOT SMART ..IGNORANT IS BLISS AS FOR CARDI AND CITY ROACH AND CO… WHO DONT WRITE THERE MUSIC BUT PAYOLA THEMSELVES TO THE TOP.AND YOU EASULY BELIEVE THEM WELP LETS SEE
So beyondfake annd cardi b are about too s*** themselves….
Because all i hear is the same song on the radio over and over again
.
Hence why I dont even listen to the radio anymore
Some wigs are about to get snatched b**** some awards are about to get taken… LMAO none of you fools can be mad if evidence is found that your Favs were paying radio stations to play their records get over it b**** is it your record no grow the f*** up….
Cardi scared shitless I’m sure ?
It’s ironic how right after cardi b is certified
That there’s an investigation
What does Nicki has to do with this…you people are so freaking bitter when it comes to her
The girls better tape their lace fronts down, it could get really messy.
Lmfao!!!!!!!!!!! All the fakes about to be exposed!!!!! Now lets see if these artist are as hype as they claim to be!!!!!!! I got my popcorn ready?????
Nothing is going to happen. It’ll get swept under the rug.
run Ariana, RUN!