Hit Men by Fredric Dannen Summary
Overview of Hit Men
Dive into the music industry's dark underbelly with "Hit Men," Billboard's #2 greatest music book of all time. Dannen's award-winning expose reveals how power brokers manipulated radio playlists and built empires through vendettas, payoffs, and fierce ambition. The unofficial history they never wanted published.
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Key takeaways
The Music Industry's Dark Empire
The music business has always projected a glamorous image of creativity and artistic freedom, but behind the curtain lies a shadow empire of intimidation, payola, and mob connections. In 1978, a loose alliance of independent promoters called "The Network" formed, creating a system of institutionalized payola that would reshape the entire industry. Key figures like Joseph Isgro and Fred DiSipio controlled territories across America, delivering national airplay through a sophisticated system of bribes and favors. By 1985, record labels were spending $60-80 million annually on indie promotion - nearly 30% of the industry's pretax profits - not because it guaranteed hits, but because refusing to pay guaranteed failure. This system created a stark divide among industry executives. CBS Records president Walter Yetnikoff embraced the indies as "mensches" who "get results," while his deputy Dick Asher worried about organized crime connections. The promotion system operated through carefully constructed invoices with tear-off receipts that were discarded after verification, leaving no paper trail connecting payments to specific radio stations. This wasn't just promotion - it was extortion, demonstrated dramatically when The Network blocked Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall" from major Los Angeles radio stations until CBS hired them.
The Godfather of the Music Business
The Power Troika
The Legal Labyrinth
Casablanca and the Disco Disaster
The Rise and Fall of Walter Yetnikoff
The Music Behind the Money
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
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"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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