payola

noun Informal.

1. a secret or private payment in return for the promotion of a product, service, etc., through the abuse of one’s position, influence, or facilities.

noun informal, mainly US

1. a bribe given to secure special treatment, esp to a disc jockey to promote a commercial product
2. the practice of paying or receiving such bribes

n.“graft” (especially to disc jockeys from record companies to play their music), 1938 (in a “Variety” headline), from pay off “bribery” (underworld slang from 1930) + ending from Victrola, etc. (see pianola). Cf. also plugola (1959), from plug (n.) in the advertising sense.