1960: The House Subcommittee on Legislative Oversight convenes hearings on what has come to be known as the Payola Scandal involving rock ‘n’ roll recording companies and disc jockeys.
During the hearings, Congressional Representatives will hear testimony from well-known celebs like Alan Freed, Dick Clark, Bobby Darin and Les Paul. It does turn out that many disc jockeys (including Clark) were accepting money or in some cases, publishing or songwriting credits in return for playing certain songs in a heavier rotation.
There were no laws against this behavior prior to the hearings, but many figures caught in the scandal, like Freed, are ruined. Dick Clark comes out relatively unscathed by being completely up front about exactly what payments he took and from whom.
The public turns its attention elsewhere and the practice of “payola” continues in different forms right up until today.
