Airplay

/ˈɛərpleɪ/ noun

Definition

The broadcast of music or audio content on radio or television stations.

Etymology

Compound word from 'air' (broadcast medium) and 'play' (broadcast/transmit), coined in the mid-20th century as radio and television became dominant entertainment media.

Kelly Says

Airplay was once a musician's ticket to fame—in the 1950s-80s, getting songs on radio was literally make-or-break for artists' careers, which is why payola scandals were so explosive in music history.

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