In the 1950s and 60s, as popular music attained newfound commercial value, musicians found themselves completely beholden to record companies and radio stations.
Rather than corporate interests and well-bribed DJs, the BBC and British government were increasingly hostile toward any competition for their radio monopoly.
The first music pirates were actually those who took to the seas. Radio Mercury, established in 1958, transmitted from a small ship anchored off Copenhagen.
Payola ruled the day, with record labels scheming to promote certain recordings and ignore or marginalize others.
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