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90s at 9 A Modern Rock Hit that Highlights the Downside of the Record Industry

"Sell Out" kinda throws shade at radio, but it still got significant airplay.

by Nikki "Nikilicious" Montgomery

"Sell Out" was released by Ska Punk band Reel Big Fish in 1996 off their second album Turn the Radio Off. The song performed very well for the band receiving significant airplay from radio stations, reaching #69 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart and #10 on the Modern Rock tracks chart.

"Sell Out" is seen as a satire of how the pop industry conducts business. It may also have to do with the payola scandals of FM radio, where bands would pay for play on radio stations so the bands with the most money would get the most airtime. Payola is illegal and any station found to be accepting money for airtime would lose their broadcast license. In the early days of radio, however, this was commonplace. 

Reel Big Fish "Sell Out" 1996

Nikki "Nikilicious" Montgomery

I'm a Central Wisconsin girl born and raised. I grew up in Port Edwards and participated in cheerleading, basketball, volleyball and softball as well as many clubs like National Honor Society, SADD, yearbook and forensics. I was a very busy high school student and still managed to get good enough grades to go to college at UW-Stevens Point where I was just as busy between working 3 jobs including executive staff positions at the campus alternative rock radio station and volunteering at the campus television station.

After graduation I thought I would take my BA in Mass Communications with emphasis in Broadcasting and Journalism and Minor in Political Science and become a big time reporter in some major city. But instead my internship with our news station here at Midwest Communications turned into a part-time job and opened the door to the morning show co-host position at WDEZ. After 9 1/4 years of fun in the mornings I was promoted to Assistant Brand Manager and moved to The Workday Getaway.

I couldn't deny my love for rock anymore! It was time dive head first into the genre I spent my formative years listening to day in and day out. When the opportunity arose for me to become the Brand Manager for Rock 94.7 and host the morning show I couldn't pass it up.

I'm so happy that I stayed in Central Wisconsin I couldn't imagine raising my three daughters anywhere else.

Favorite band: STP

First concert: Bryan Adams 1992 at the Target Center in Minneapolis (I was 12)

Favorite color: Yellow

Favorite pasttime: Watching Walking Dead, American Horror Story and Covert Affairs

Vice: Wine