When it comes to milestones in standup comedy, selling out Madison Square Garden ranks among the top, and certainly is the pinnacle when it comes to arena performances. According to the venue, there is no comprehensive list of comedians who have done so, but it is in the neighborhood of 15 — a “very small club,” as Matt Rife puts it.

Rife performed two sold-out shows at the Garden on July 18 and 19 as part of his Stay Golden tour. To commemorate the occasion, the venue presented him with a golden ticket. (You can see it on his Facebook page).

“If you think about the performers who have played that venue, [it’s] not just sports teams, but every single one of your favorite musicians,” he raves. “And it’s in New York City, where anybody can go see great shows all over the city seven nights a week, 365 days a year.”

Rife didn’t just perform to sell-out crowds at the Garden. At the age of 29 — he turns 30 in September — he became the youngest comedian to do so, as well as Billboard Boxscore’s top-grossing comedian for the month of June.

In the wake of those achievements, Rife — whose confidence is palpable — spoke to Billboard about the personal significance of the accomplishment, the lengths that is his female fans will go to get his attention, his reaction to Marc Maron‘s snipe at him and what he’s planning for his second act. (Hint: he’s a fan of Adam Sandler.)

You are the youngest comedian to sell out two nights at Madison Square Garden. Thoughts?

A lot of times these kinds of accomplishments and accolades are hard to process in the moment, because everything has been happening so fast. A lot of the shows have broken records at venues, and I go, “Oh, that’s really cool.” But not until two or three months later do I go, “Oh my god, wow, that happened.” T

his was one of the few times that I got to be in the moment and acknowledge that, “Wow, I’m one of [very few] comedians to ever sell out Madison Square Garden.” For a standup comedian, the Garden is pretty much as big as it gets. I think only five comedians have ever played a stadium.

When you’re first starting out on an open mic, the dream is the Garden. So, to get to play it twice, sold-out, before the age of 30, it meant everything to me. I’m so grateful for my fans, my team, my friends and my family and everybody who has helped me get to this point right now. It feels very surreal.

I can share with you another milestone. You are Billboard Boxscore’s top-grossing comedian for June.

No way. That is awesome. It didn’t even feel like June was that busy of a month. That’s the craziest part.

Do you still grade your shows?

I try not to, but I do.

What grade would you give your Garden run?

Oh, that’s a tough one. I’m going to give them both an A — not A+, but A. I really had a good time at those shows, and I felt like the audience did as well. That’s not always the case. Sometimes I have a good time, and I feel like the crowd didn’t. Sometimes I feel like the crowd had a good time, and I didn’t.

I mentioned this onstage – I don’t know if it was a mistake or not but I did mean it — New York typically isn’t my favorite place to perform. In the past, I would say I’ve given my shows there at most a B or B+. So, with it being the Garden, I went in with very low expectations. I thought it could go terribly if people aren’t on board.

No pressure.

I really had a good time. They were some of the more fun shows of the entire tour so far.

The first night you were at the Garden, you brought out Jesse McCartney to close the show. Did he perform the second night as well?

No, just first night. He had a concert in, I think, Wisconsin the next day. He flew out just for that. He’s from [Westchester,] New York.

I love that era of music — the early 2000s — and I’m always playing him in the car. I hit him up, and I’m like, “Yo, I’m in your hometown. I’m just curious if you happen to be around the area and want to pop in and do the Garden.” He’s like, “I’m not in town, but I’d love to come by and give it a show.” He’s a fan of mine, so he enjoyed watching the show as well.

So, you didn’t know him prior to the show?

No, we had never met before. On a whim, I was like, “I’m just going to hit him up.” That’s the power of social media.

Speaking of social media, I was looking at your Facebook post on the Garden shows, and there were a lot of comments about the photo of the woman you’re with in the photo where you both have your backs to the camera. Are you willing to share?

Yeah, it’s my girlfriend, Moriah [Morse]. I don’t post a whole lot about my personal life on social media because people are absolutely insane, and at this point I try to distance your personal and professional life as much as possible.

It’s funny, in the photo you posted, your hands are just above a trash can in the hallway, and someone commented that you were carrying a bucket together.

Hilarious. I didn’t see that. This is why you don’t share stuff from your personal life. People’s speculations are always 100% wrong.

A New Yorker profile of you reported that, in past years, you did so many dates that you exhausted yourself.

Absolutely. This tour that we’re on this year and next is perfect middle ground for me. It’s a cycle of one weekend on, two weekends off. I did that for a balance of maintaining somewhat of a healthy life — but also, I hate not performing. As much as I tell myself, “I need a month break,” I cannot go more than two weeks without performing. I go stir crazy creatively, energetically.

This pace feels like a very healthy balance to me compared to doing 40-50 shows a month for the last two years prior to that. We did [hundreds of] shows the year prior which was a very unhealthy balance. That gets to a point where you’re so physically and mentally exhausted that it starts to feel like work.

But I was performing all around the world, and we’re selling out shows and breaking records at these revered theaters. Oftentimes I go back to those cities, and people are like, “We saw you last year.” I’m like, “I was here last year?” That’s so disappointing for myself. I lived some of these amazing memories, and I was too tired to even enjoy them.

When you do that many shows, do you start to get tired of the material in your set? And how do you deal with that?

Any comedian who says they never get tired of the material is either a liar or doesn’t perform enough. I try to be as present as possible. That’s why I don’t use a traditional microphone because it stops me from just crossing my arms and hiding behind a microphone. It forces me to walk around and use the stage. I like being as present as possible.There’s nothing worse than standing up there, and the words are leaving your mouth but your brain is thinking about something else.

You used a Billy Idol homage for your tour poster, and I read that your grandfather introduced you to his music.

Yeah, my grandpa put me on to classic rock as far back as I can remember. It’s still my favorite genre of music. Both of my last tours have been inspired by classic musicians. I did The Doors for my Problematic Tour poster. And then this one I did Billy Idol, and I actually dyed my hair blonde for it. I’ve never done anything like that before. Funny how the world works out. I actually got to work with Billy on the promo he did for his current tour. I had him sign my arm, and I went straight to the tattoo shop. So now I have Billy Idol tattoo on my arm.

And he did a promo for you. I don’t know if it was really your house, but says he’s been living there for days.

That was not my house. Yeah, we had five minutes to shoot my promo versus two days of shooting his. I was like, “You know what? F—k it. Let’s just see if we can do something on a phone real quick.” He’s the nicest, coolest guy. How he speaks, what he speaks about, the stories he had to tell. I’d love to play him in a biopic someday.

So, what happens after this tour ends?

We’re going to do a second half of this tour next year. The cities aren’t out yet. We’re going to tour about the same as we are this year. We’re going to do international as well. Then when that tour is over at the end of next year. I probably won’t do any prominent tours like this for a while. I might do a full month of shows, and I’ll still be doing spots around town in whatever city I’m popping around to.

But the commitment of knowing I have shows in November and it’s only February — I probably won’t do [again] that for a very long time. I’m really looking forward to transitioning over to film and television and we have a lot of projects in the works that I’m looking forward to moving my focus towards.

Right. By my count, you’re doing Marriage Material with Emma Roberts, Rolling Loud with Owen Wilson, and the Netflix series about FTX, The Altruists. Did I miss anything?

That I’m allowed to speak on? No. We’ve got a couple of things with Netflix. Rolling Loud is coming out at the end of this year. The project with Emma Roberts, we had to postpone due to The Altruists schedule. It’s incredibly unfortunate. I’m such a huge fan of her and her work. The Altruists is an incredible limited series that’s highly anticipated, and I’m very excited to do something that is not comedy. It’s fully a drama, and an amazing opportunity to expand my skill set.

You’re playing Ryan Salame, who’s in prison for his role in that scandal. Have you met him?

I don’t know if I’m allowed to say this, but I am about to meet him. Fingers crossed. It’s interesting playing somebody else, because usually it’s up to the actor to make that character their own. But the directors and producers of The Altruists have been very clear that this is not a biopic series. We’re trying to get as close as possible to telling the true story about how this giant scandal happened and let people know the kind of craziness that went on.

It’s wild. I don’t know anything about the crypto world, and now that I’ve done the research, I’m like, “Oh my god.” I had no idea how many people were affected by this.

Are you looking to follow the career path of, say, Adam Sandler, where you’re going to primarily do TV and film and just do standup when you feel like it?

It’s hard to say. Life is going to take me in whatever direction it wants. But if I had it my way, yeah.

This is the weird thing about accomplishing as much as I have by 30, including the Garden. It’s like, “What do I do now?” It’s the most blessed predicament I can possibly dream of. As far as standup comedy, my dreams have come true. I know it wasn’t pure luck. I’ve worked my ass off, but it almost feels like I’ve hit the mark of, I could retire if I wanted to. I won’t stop performing until I die, but now I have to start thinking about, is there something I’m passionate about that’s new to me?  

Yeah, the goal would be film and television, primarily film. Then doing standup whenever I feel like it — and performing with my friends as much as I can. That’s one thing I love about Adam Sandler is, he’s always kept that tight-knit group around him.

I was looking at the Rolling Loud cast. You’ve got Sexxy Red, Ty Dolla $ign, Ski Mask the Slump God, and that Slizzy superstar Henry Winkler.

Oh, yeah man. This was a wild film experience. Working with Owen especially was a dream come true. You talk about the Mount Rushmore of comedic actors. He’s somebody who made me want to get into acting, and to learn from somebody like him was another dream come true. He’s the nicest, most talented guy. And the rest of the cast – they’re perfect for this movie. Everybody showed up to work. A lot of the times people who aren’t necessarily actors show up late because dedicating a day to acting is a pay cut for them. It’s not necessarily a priority to them. It’s just something where they’re like, “Oh, that would be cool to do.” That wasn’t the case with this movie.

What role you play?

I play Owen’s coworker who ends up at the festival with him and helps him find his lost son.

Are you in the music business in the movie?

No. He and I sell furniture. We have the most boring group of people.

Since this is Billboard, who are some of your favorite music artists?

I’m actually going to see some of them this coming weekend. Right now, I’m really listening to a lot of Red Clay Strays, Sam Barber, Zach Bryan, Morgan Wallen, Tyler Childers, Waylon Wyatt.

So, you’re a big country fan.

I really have moved towards that. To me the rap game has kind of fallen off. Classic rock is my No. 1. That’s always my go-to, what’s playing in the car most of the time. But I’m also a big hip-hop fan. J. Cole is probably my favorite artist of all time. But there’s currently no good hip-hop music. To me, hip-hop dropped the ball so bad. Country swooped in and took all that momentum. I really am feeling this new wave of country, folk, rock kind of blend. It’s beautiful. It really is music for the soul. Do you know who Sam Barber is?

I don’t.

Man, let me tell you. He’s a 22-year-old kid out of Montana who puts out some of the best music I’ve ever heard. I don’t know who hurt this kid, but his songwriting and his voice are absolutely incredible. A big shoutout to him.

Marc Maron took a swipe at you in 2023 calling you the “It Boy of s–tty comedy.” Any thoughts on that in retrospect?

There was never a beef. He was just being a crotchety old man and I’ve never even met the guy. I guarantee he’s never watched one of my shows, so if he wants to be bitter and angry that I get to live his dreams — yeah man, you’re kind of being a d–k to somebody who might have looked up to you. I used to love to watch Marc Maron standup.

I don’t have a beef with a single comedian. I am living my life, dude. What do I possibly have to complain about? I don’t hate on anybody. I don’t talk s–t about anybody. I’m just out here performing to the best of my ability. I play with my puppy and I hang out with my friends. I mind my own business and anybody who has a problem with that, it’s clearly an internal battle.

I was watching the “MILF & Cookies” video online, and I’ve got to know, what’s the wildest proposition you’ve gotten from one of your female fans? The “blowjob” tee shirt you are offered in that video was like, whoa.

People will come to shows with tee shirts all the time that say, like, “I’ll leave my husband for you” or “Matt Rife can offend me anytime.” And the propositions are all over the place, from sexual advances to gifting me jars of their hair.

Seriously? Jars of hair.

Oh, yeah. People are nuts.

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The first day of college marks the start of a new chapter in your life, and if you plan to live on-campus, your living quarters are changing drastically. While exciting, you’ll no longer be sleeping on the same mattress and will have to carefully choose what music posters you plan to decorate your minimal wall space with. Whether you’re a freshman, undergraduate or even graduate student, there are some dorm room essentials that you need to make sure you have by your move-in date.

Your dorm room will be more than just a place for you to sleep; it will act as a spot for hanging out with friends, studying and just lounging during your free time. That’s why it’s essential to create a space that’s both comfortable yet shows off your personality.

Back-to-school deals are currently going on, with everything from comfortable pillows, laptops and bedding discounted for a budget-friendly cost. You can take advantage of discounts and promos that’ll help you stock up on all the dorm room essentials. That way, you can kick off your first day of college feeling prepared and comfortable.

Keep reading to discover where to find dorm room supplies.

What Are the Best Dorm Room Essentials?

To help you stock up on the best dorm room essentials for college, ShopBillboard did the digging and created a list of must-haves to shop below.

If you’re looking to give your dorm room a funky flair that shows off your love of music, this portable record player from Victrola is for you. This record player is nestled in a vintage-inspired suitcase, making it easy to transport for our college students on the go. Amazon’s Victrola record player comes in a slew of colorways, although our favorite is Turquoise.

If you’re in the mood for music on the go, there’s nothing better than a portable speaker. From jamming out in your dorm to taking your tunes out on campus, this JBL Go 4 speaker can do it all, all for under $50. Don’t let the small size fool you. This portable speaker boasts major base and impactful sound. You’ve also got seven hours of playtime and Bluetooth compatibility for ease of use.

Everyone needs a good pair of headphones, especially college kids. JBL’s Tune 520BT Bluetooth Wireless On-Ear Headphones are affordable, easy to use and stylish, all things we think college students will appreciate in their music tech. The headphones boast JBL’s renowned Pure Bass sound and up to 57 hours of playtime. The Purple colorway is a stand-out for us, but the Black colorway is a versatile classic, too.

Your university-provided mattress is not going to be hotel-grade, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it cozier. This mattress topper is a No. 1 best seller on Amazon for mattress toppers with more than 40,000 purchased this month, so far. The design comes with a 2-inch thickness for added cushioning as well as a gel material that’ll help relieve pressure and conform to your body’s curves.

Make laundry day easier with this multipurpose laundry bag that can transform into a backpack. It comes with a roomy interior that can hold up to 45 liters of laundry and has a drawstring top to keep your clothes and bedding secure. Another notable feature is the pocket for storing your laundry detergent.

Save space but keep your bedside must-haves close with this compact bedside table. The BedShelfie can snap onto your bed frame and features a flat surface with enough space to put your phone and tablet while the built-in cupholder lets you hold your nighttime glass of water.

Rather than accept the harsh florescent lighting of your dorm, this chic table lamp will provide a soft glow when you’re winding down for the night. It comes with a monochrome greenbase and matching shade that will certainly add some style to your space. If the green hue isn’t your thing, the mini lamp also comes in an alternate chrome base with a butter yellow shade.

For less than $70 you can get all the bedding you can possibly need. This five-piece bedding set from Amazon comes with a reversible comforter, pillowcases, a flat sheet and a fitted sheet to effortlessly give you a complete bed set. Each piece is a coordinating shade of gray.

Make room for all of your belongings by adding some bed risers to your bed. There are three heights to pick from and as an added bonus, these come with built-in outlets and USB plugs giving you additional spots to plug in your electronics.

Urban Outfitters’ tiger bath mat is ready be the statement piece of your bathroom. It comes in the shape of the animal and includes a soft and fluffy material that’ll swaddle your feet in comfort while absorbing water.

Incorporating a storage cart is essential for storing your knick-knacks and toiletries without leaving your desk looking cluttered. Target’s version is made from a metal material and a three-tier design making it small-space friendly. The included wheel also make it easy for moving it from place to place.

Rather than have your toiletries precariously stacked in your hands, this shower caddy will carry it all and more while leaving you with extra hand space. The mesh material is breathable and quick-drying while the perimeter features a variety of pockets for storing all your shower essentials.

Dry off with these plush waffle towels that are crisp and absorbent. The set is 20% off and comes with a total of eight towels including four washcloths, two hand towels and two large towels.

Elevate your dorm room with this stylish ottoman that comes with secret storage. The exterior shows off a soft teddy material that’s available in a variety of colors paired with a textural appearance. When you take the lid off, you’ll be met with empty space to put all your small belongings.

Cool down with this portable fan that’s both compact and on sale for 69% off. You can customize the speed and temperature using the buttons on the front. Other features include the ability to put a timer on as well as make it oscillate.

These under bed storage bags will help keep your closet from overflowing. Made with fabric and clear plastic materials, the storage bags come in a 4-pack that you can fill with clothes, towels and jackets. The clear edges will allow you to see exactly what’s inside while the built-in handle means you can easily pull out the bag when you’re looking for that one sweater.

Check out your OOTD before you head to class with the help of Target’s over the door mirror. The design comes in a range of frame colors to pick depending on your style preferences and includes two hooks to attach and hang over your door.

Complete your bedspread with a soft throw blanket like this luxe one from Quince. The style comes with a cozy knit texture made from a cotton material that’s breathable yet will keep you comfortable on cooler days.

Avoid having clothes fall onto the floor with this 100-pack of velvet hangars. The body comes with a soft velvety material that’ll help keep your tops, dresses and more apparel in place while the metal top can twist around to easily hang clothing in the direction you want.

Space is a luxury that not every dorm room is equipped with, which means you’ll need to get creative with your storage. This shoe organizer can be hung up in your closet and uses a fabric material that’s easy to fold and move to your liking. There are also 10 slots to store your shoes without leaving your space feeling cluttered.

For more product recommendations, check out ShopBillboard‘s roundups of the best wearable blankets, vinyl record player accessories and spring break travel gear.

Atlantic Music Group announced Monday (Aug. 4) a series of executive promotions across its senior leadership team, as well as its labels 300 Entertainment and 10K Projects. 

Marsha St. Hubert, who had been the executive vp/head of marketing for hip-hop, R&B and global music at Atlantic Records, has been named executive vp of Atlantic Music Group (AMG) and promoted to co-president of 10K Projects, which she will lead alongside existing co-president Nicholas Ziangas. St. Hubert, who has spent nearly two decades at Atlantic across two stints, will report to AMG CEO Elliot Grainge out of New York.

“Atlantic has been my label home for the better part of 20 years, and it’s always been a place where the artist reigns supreme,” St. Hubert said in a statement. “The independent spirit of 10K is very much in sync with the independent roots of Atlantic, and I want to thank Elliot for giving me the opportunity to expand my horizons as the company writes a new chapter in its amazing history.”

As part of the same announcement, Molly McLachlan, who had been co-president of 10K with Ziangas, has been promoted to executive vp of AMG as well, reporting to Grainge out of Los Angeles. McLachlan, who was the second employee at Grainge’s former indie label 10K, which was acquired by the Warner Music Group (WMG) in 2023, had worked across all of 10K’s releases since its 2018 founding.

“With two decades of hands-on experience, Marsha is one of the most knowledgeable, savvy, and engaging people in our industry,” Grainge said in a statement about St. Hubert’s new role. “She’s a passionate, magnetic music fan who knows the marketplace inside out, and has been the driving force behind the creation and execution of a stream of innovative strategies for new artists and superstars alike. Alongside another dynamo in Nico, I’m confident that together they’ll continue to propel both 10K and AMG’s success.”

Regarding McLachlan’s promotion, Grainge said, “Molly has been a foundational and integral leader at 10K, playing an important role in its launch and long term growth. As we evolve our senior management team at AMG, we remain agile, ambitious and collaborative about our vision for the future. Adding Molly to the AMG center helps us achieve this. She’s sharp, culturally attuned, and trusted for her sound judgment — whether navigating big-picture strategy or stepping into the details.”

Following St. Hubert’s promotion, longtime 300 Entertainment co-presidents Rayna Bass and Selim Bouab have been promoted to co-presidents of hip-hop, R&B and global music at Atlantic Records. The duo, who have each spent more than a decade at 300, will retain their titles at the label, which WMG acquired in 2021.

“At 300, we’ve always had an artist-first, independent mindset and an entrepreneurial spirit of hustle, grit and creativity,” Bass and Bouab said in a joint statement. “We’re looking forward to working closely with Elliot and bringing that same philosophy to our new posts — helping unlock even more potential in a label that’s already full of brilliance, passion and so much opportunity. We will continue our dedication and service to the culture that has birthed some of our biggest stars and raised some of our brightest executives.”

In addition, Lanre Gaba, who has also spent 20 years at Atlantic Records, has been promoted to executive vp of artist strategy and development at Atlantic Music Group. “I’m proud of everything we’ve achieved at Atlantic and the way we’ve supported artists and culture,” Gaba said in a statement. “It’s a privilege to continue carrying that mission forward and keep elevating powerful, meaningful music that makes a difference. A big thanks to Elliot and the team for this opportunity. The Hip-Hop, R&B, and Global team is in great hands with Selim and Rayna.”

“Rayna and Selim have been at 300 for over a decade, and they’ve done an incredible job, creating a unique artist-centric community that drives culture,” Grainge said in a statement. “They’re immersed in the tone and taste of what’s next, championing artists with a deep understanding of both how to fuel the creative process and energize fans. Their game-changing work at 300 makes them ideally suited to help take our strategy to exciting new places.”

Of Gaba, he continued, “Lanre brings her wide-ranging knowledge to the AMG center in a new role. Over her many years at Atlantic, she’s been a passionate artists’ advocate, insightful business leader, and team builder, and I know she will continue to carry those values forward in this new position.”

The new promotions come amid a continuing shift in the leadership at both Atlantic Music Group and the broader Warner Music Group, which just underwent layoffs again in the past week. Grainge, who took over as CEO of Atlantic last September, reorganized the division under his leadership with the AMG brand at its center, and Atlantic Records, 300 Entertainment and 10K Projects as subsidiaries.

All products and services featured are independently chosen by editors. However, Billboard may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

The 2025 Festival season is slowly coming to a close. It’s time to stow away your booty shorts, bralettes and face glitter because we’re almost done with festivals for the year, excluding Outside Lands, Louder Than Life and Hard Summer. With Coachella, Stagecoach, Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo in the rearview, fans might be looking for something to help take a breather from the crowds, the heat and the copious glitter-based products.

In the spirit of self-care, we’re rounding up a few favorites to help you wind down, giving your body and mind a break from the festivities, at least for a little while. We’re talking skincare, haircare and bodycare products from top brands like Topicals, Lemme, Aquaphore, Vegamour and much more.

This six-pack of eye masks from Topicals will get your undereyes looking hydrated and brightened after all of the sleepless nights packing the perfect outfits for Coachella. These masks are formulated with Kojic Acid to brighten and a cooling agent for de-puffing. You’ll be looking bright and awake in no time.

This Peach & Lily sheet mask went absolutely viral on TikTok this past year, and we can see why. The two-part mask is impressively formulated with an entire 40g serum bottle, 2% ginseng extract, 9 peptides and 55k PPM vegan collagen complex that work to plump, hydrate and brighten. If your skin is looking dull post-festival, then this sheet mask is a must-have.

Crowds and concerts can be super stressful. Why not unwind with Lemme’s vegan Chill De-Stress gummies? Created by the one and only Kourtney Kardashian, the gummies are made with ashwagandha. This ingredient has been used in traditional Indian medicine for centuries, and while there are many things this key ingredient does, it is also an adaptogen, meaning it helps the body cope with stress.

When you’ve been walking around on the festival grounds all day, there’s nothing better for your feet than giving them a boost of hydration. Retailing for $5.89, this foot mask is formulated with a blend of avocado oil and shea butter that work together to condition the skin of your feet for a plush and moisturized feeling post-use.

If you’re a lover of massages, then you’ll love this Vegamour GRO Scalp Massager. Retailing for $18, this pointy tool can be used in the shower while you’re conditioning your hair to stimulate your scalp, promoting circulation, which in turn promotes hair growth. Plus, who doesn’t love a massage post-festival?

Minty fresh and full of benefits, this scalp serum from Divi is sure to banish that post-festival grime from your scalp for good. The product comes in an ergonomic dropper bottle for ease of use. The ingredient list is one to marvel at, with the likes of copper-tripeptide 1, rosemary and caffeine, which all work to stimulate hair follicles, promoting hair growth.

Festivals can wear the body out. All the walking and dancing can lead to soreness throughout the body. If you’re looking to work out a few kinks in your back, shoulders and neck post-festival, then this massage gun on Amazon might be a good fit. It currently retails for $26.99 and comes with multiple heads for different massaging possibilities.

Want that pedicure feeling without leaving your home? This Soap & Glory Heel Genius Moisturizing Foot Cream offers users salon-quality hydration for those post-festival dry and cracked feet. Including alpha hydroxy acids in its formula, this foot cream works as an exfoliant, leaving the feet smooth and ultra-soft. For best results, we’d recommend using this foot cream before bed, allowing the product to aptly sink into the skin.

Sony Music has filed a lawsuit against Napster over allegations that the streaming service owes more than $9 million in unpaid royalties — and has continued to illegally play the songs after Sony pulled the plug on their licensing deal.

Napster — not the infamous turn-of-the-century file-sharing site but the small streaming service once known as Rhapsody — was acquired in March by Infinite Reality, a digital media and e-commerce company, for $207 million.

But in a lawsuit filed Friday (Aug. 1) in Manhattan federal court, Sony accused the newly sold company of failing to pay its bills. The case claims Napster owed more than $9.2 million when Sony finally terminated its contract in June — but has kept on using the songs anyway.

“When companies exploit Sony Music’s sound recordings for commercial benefit without authorization, this not only harms Sony Music by depriving it of compensation, but it also reduces the incentive to invest in the creation and dissemination of new music,” the company’s lawyers write.

Despite Napster’s origins as an industry-shaking pirating service, the famous name has been reused for decades on a series of legal music services. Most recently, Rhapsody rebranded under the Napster name in 2016; it had a little more than 1 million monthly active users at the end of 2020, according to Music Ally.

Back in January, Billboard reported that Napster had been making late royalty payments to at least half a dozen distributors and record labels, sometimes by as much as a year. In June, SoundExchange filed another lawsuit against Napster over accusations of $3.4 million in unpaid royalties.

According to Sony’s new lawsuit on Friday, Napster has failed to pay royalties to the company for over a year. By March, Sony says Napster had racked up an unpaid royalty balance of $6,787,466 across four different licensing deals.

When Napster inked the Infinite Reality acquisition deal in March, the terms of Sony’s licensing agreement gave the music giant the right to terminate its licensing agreement with Napster entirely. But the company’s lawyers say Sony waived that right in exchange for a promise by Napster to finally pay the outstanding royalty balance.

According to Sony, Napster never did so — and on June 23, the label terminated the licensing deal, meaning the streaming service no longer had any legal right to play the company’s catalog. But the lawsuit says Napster never actually removed the music from its platform and is now simply committing wholesale copyright infringement.

“Despite the termination of all of defendants’ licenses to use any of Sony Music works, defendants have continued to use and exploit SME sound recordings and music videos,” the company’s lawyers wrote. “Sony Music has identified a sample of hundreds of sound recordings and music videos that were available through Napster.”

Friday’s case is very obviously not the first copyright battle for Napster. Shortly after Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker’s pioneering service took the country by storm in 1999, it was facing infringement lawsuits from various heavy-hitters, including Metallica, Dr. Dre and the RIAA. Those cases were quickly successful: a federal judge issued an injunction in 2001, effectively forcing Napster to shut down.

The following year, Bertelsmann announced that it would acquire the service and turn it into a licensed listening platform, but a bankruptcy judge later blocked the sale. In the years since, the Napster name has been bought by a series of owners: first by Roxio, then by Best Buy, and finally in 2011 by Rhapsody, an early music streaming service, which rebranded itself as Napster in 2016.

The lawsuit from Sony did not say how much it was seeking in damages. But under U.S. law, copyright owners can seek as much as $150,000 for every work infringed, meaning damages can quickly add up when hundreds or thousands of songs are in dispute.

A spokesperson for Napster did not immediately return a request for comment on Monday (Aug. 4).