:Payola has been a constant and universal part of the economy of popular music for about 125 years, and the likelihood that legislators will be able to do anything constructive about it is about as high as the odds of winning the war on drugs. It was old when ragtime was new, and it still will be going strong long after rock 'n' roll has died. Generations of reformers have gone up against payola—and those few who have accomplished anything lasting have succeeded only in making things worse.<ref name=city-paper> [http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/article/13026099/same-old-song-and-dance Same Old Song and Dance] Washington City Paper - Feb 28, 2003</ref> | :Payola has been a constant and universal part of the economy of popular music for about 125 years, and the likelihood that legislators will be able to do anything constructive about it is about as high as the odds of winning the war on drugs. It was old when ragtime was new, and it still will be going strong long after rock 'n' roll has died. Generations of reformers have gone up against payola—and those few who have accomplished anything lasting have succeeded only in making things worse.<ref name=city-paper> [http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/news/article/13026099/same-old-song-and-dance Same Old Song and Dance] Washington City Paper - Feb 28, 2003</ref> |