It may have started with Trini Lopez's manager paying girls to throw their panties on stage, but the practice of creating buzz by creating the appearance of buzz is still very widespread. Fake fan posts in discussion groups. Web stats based on paid for click throughs. The list of creative astroturfing in the music industry is endless.
The term comes from AstroTurf - the fake grass used in many indoor stadiums. It looks and feels like real grass. But it isn't; and eventually you figure that out and feel cheated. Astroturfing by marketers in an age of instant commentary from bloggers and via text messages can be more detrimental than ever before.
Join the Anti-Astroturphing campaign.
