The New York attorney general's office helpfully posted apparently incriminating correspondence involving Sony Music and DJs. It makes for great reading.

Given the stakes, the goods and services changing hands were remarkably cheap. To promote a new recording by rapper Killer Mike in December 2002, a Sony executive suggested the following: "I plan on setting up the record with each mix show jock who has a free hand to play what they want @ the station. I would like to ask them their shoe size and send one Adidas sneaker to them and send the other match when the airplay reaches @ least 10 spins."

In November 2003, an executive sought to curry favor with a DJ by giving her a gift of the latest technology—circa 1985. "I am trying to buy a walkman for Toya Beasley at WRKS/NY. I would like to put it on my credit card and purchase it from the family center. The amount should be about $150.00. Please advise."

Some DJs were clearly more high-maintenance than others. Donnie Michaels, now on Miami station Y100.7, appears frequently in the correspondence. In July 2003, a Sony executive planning a trip to Vegas warned, "Make sure Donnie is not staying in a room too high, he has a fear of heights."

Bonus sign of willful self-delusion: Responding to a September 2004 request to stage an event at an "all eighties club" in Charlotte, N.C., for the new Duran Duran album, an executive wrote: "Love the idea but don't want to position Duran Duran with an 80's club. . . The 80's were an important time in their career but they are still just as relevant in 2004."