Selling out is a common slang phrase. Broadly speaking, it refers to the compromising of one's integrity in exchange for money or other personal gain. It is commonly associated with attempts to increase mass appeal or acceptability to mainstream society. A person who does this is known as a sellout.
The phrase is often heard in the musical community, where it is used to imply that an artist has compromised their artistic integrity in order to gain radio airplay or obtain a recording contract, especially with a major label.
The accusation is often made against punk bands who sign to major labels, since punk has a cultural tradition of independence and doing it yourself. Similarly, it is often heard in the metal community, which like punk has a tradition of mainstream rejection. Metallica is perhaps metal's most famous supposed sellout.
There are many songs about selling out, including:
