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DebateContested

Playlists as the new gatekeepers: open door or new payola?

One side

Meritocratic discovery

The other

Concentrated curatorial power

What was argued

A neutral framing of two views on streaming playlists: some see editorial and algorithmic playlists as a meritocratic door for unsigned Jamaican artists to reach global ears; others argue they concentrate power with a few curators and echo older concerns about paid placement and radio gatekeeping.

The records this concerns

Audiomack CaribbeanJamaican radio payola debateStreaming playlist gatekeeping

Sources

DancehallMag; Jamaica Gleaner; Billboard

Debate

Payola and 'pay for play'

One side

Informal promotion in an under-resourced industry

The other

Corruption that distorts fair airplay

Two documented positions on payola, stated neutrally: some describe informal payments to selectors and DJs as unavoidable promotion in an under-resourced industry, while others describe it as corruption that distorts fair airplay and disadvantages independents. No verdict.

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Debate

Payola as public debate, not accusation

One side

Airplay fairness as public debate

The other

Individual allegation

Payola — paying for airplay — has been argued about in Jamaican music for as long as there has been radio to argue over. The debate is real and recurring, and concerns access, playlist concentration and who decides what a country hears. Individual accusations are a different matter and almost never carry evidence that would survive scrutiny.

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Debate

Streaming's promise for dancehall: global reach or a pennies-per-stream squeeze?

One side

Global reach & direct distribution

The other

Pennies-per-stream payouts

Two documented positions on streaming's effect on reggae and dancehall, stated neutrally: supporters credit on-demand platforms with giving Jamaican artists direct, borderless distribution and new discovery paths; critics point to fractional per-stream payouts and 2024 minimum-stream royalty thresholds that leave many acts earning little. No verdict.

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