The act of writing, selling, or promoting ballads, often carelessly or in large quantities; the commercial production of popular songs or stories.
From 'ballad' (a narrative song or poem) combined with 'monger' (one who deals in or promotes something), with the Old Norse 'ballad' meaning 'dance' and Middle Dutch 'monger' meaning 'dealer.' The term emerged in the 16th-17th centuries when street vendors sold printed ballads to common people.
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