payola means A bribe given in exchange for a favor, such as one given in exchange for the promotion of goods or services (originally one given to a disk jockey to play a record). Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 92 out of 100.
Why this word is great
PAYOLA — [Noun] A covert payment, especially to a disc jockey or media figure, to promote a product such as a song without disclosure. Its etymology is a cynical blend of pay (meaning 'to give money') and -ola, a suffix from brand names like Victrola or Pianola, used here to suggest a commercial or mechanical transaction. Unlike 'bribery,' which carries the weight of legal and political solemnity, or a 'kickback,' which implies a post-transactional slice of the spoils, payola is the specific grease for the hidden gears of popular culture. It is the crisp envelope passed in a vinyl-lined booth, the whispered agreement over a crackling telephone line, the sudden, hollow conviction in a DJ's voice—a quiet corruption proving that what we call a trend is often just a debt being called in.
noun
- A bribe given in exchange for a favor, such as one given in exchange for the promotion of goods or services (originally one given to a disk jockey to play a record).