Australia’s Splendour in the Grass Won’t Return in 2025

Splendour in the Grass, one of Australia’s most prominent music festivals, will not be going ahead in 2025.

The decision to not return following the unceremonious cancelation of its 2024 event was confirmed by promoters Live Nation in a statement given to Rolling Stone AU/NZ.

“The festivals team has our full support to bring Splendour in the Grass back when they feel it’s right,” the statement reads. “In the meantime, we’re working on exciting new projects to support artists and the industry, while meeting the demands of music fans and look forward to sharing more in the coming months.”

On the Splendour social channels, a separate, more casual message was simultaneously conveyed to its followers, apologizing for their silence and explaining they had “finally” taken the opportunity to have a “holiday”.

“The rest of the festival team have still been busy cooking up some awesome new things for music lovers in Australia, but Splendour needs a little more time to recharge and we won’t be back this year,” the statement read. “Think of it as a breather so we can come back even bigger and better when the time is right. Lots of other huge events on the horizon so keep an ear to the ground in the coming months – we can’t wait to share what we’ve been working on!”

Established in 2001 and held each year in Byron Bay, a picturesque beach town on the most easterly tip of Australia, Splendour is a destination event, the most popular mid-winter camping fest in the country. Names such as The Cure, Sonic Youth, Childish Gambino, Tame Impala, and Tyler, the Creator have all headlined the festival across its lifetime.

In 2024, the festival was canceled just weeks after it announced Kylie Minogue, Future, and Arcade Fire as headliners. “We know there were many fans excited for this year’s line-up and all the great artists planning to join us, but due to unexpected events we’ll be taking the year off,” a statement from organizers read at the time.

Three months later, the festival’s co-founder Jessica Ducrou, announced that she was exiting her role as co-CEO of Australia’s Secret Sounds Group, the producer of Splendour and a slew of live music brands.

Earlier in 2023, Secret Sounds’ other long-running festival, Falls Festival, announced it too would be taking some time off, though no updates have been provided since.

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Bad Bunny Replaces Himself at No. 1 on Hot Latin Songs With ‘DtMF’

A week after Bad Bunny placed the first No. 1 from new album Debí Tirar Más Fotos on Billboard’s Hot Latin Songs chart, the Puerto Rican notches a second champ, as “DtMF” climbs 5-1 to lead the list dated Jan. 25, for his 16th ruler to date. The album’s title track replaces “Nuevayol,” which drops 3-1 after one week in charge.

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By knocking his own song from the podium, Benito becomes the only act to replace itself at No. 1 five different times on Hot Latin Songs, since the chart launched in 1994.

The Puerto Rican’s self-replacement streak begun in 2019 when “La Canción,” with J Balvin, ceded the throne to his own “Vete” (Dec. 7, 2019-dated ranking). “Moscow Mule” followed, trading places, after one week atop, with “Me Porto Bonito,” with Chencho Corleone (list dated May 28, 2022). As the latter finished its 20-week coronation in October 2022, it was ejected from the penthouse when “Titi Me Preguntó” begun its 14-week domination on the Oct. 15, 2022-dated tally. A year later, Bad Bunny’s featured role in Drake’s “Gently,” a one-week leader, yielded a new replacement, trading places with the 10-week ruler “Mónaco” (Oct. 28, 2023).

In total, nine acts have replaced themselves at No. 1 in the chart’s 38-year history, which blends airplay, digital sales and streaming activity. Out of those, in addition to Bad Bunny’s five self-replacements, two artists have replaced themselves at the summit at least twice: Ozuna (2018, 2019) and Karol G (2022, 2023).

“DtMF” vaults at No. 1 with the Greatest Gainer/Streaming honors in its first full tracking week. It registered 34.9 million official streams, and 2,000 sales downloads in the week ending Jan. 16, according to Luminate. Those sums yield a No. 1 on the overall Streaming Songs and Latin Streaming Songs charts, plus a No. 16 start on the Digital Song Sales and a 2-1 jump on Latin Digital Song Sales.

Beyond its Hot Latin Songs coronation, “DtMF” rallies 38-2 on the all-genre Billboard Hot 100, his highest rank since “I Like It,” with Cardi B and J Balvin, topped for one week in July 2018.

Further, as “DtMF” leads, Benito extends his Hot Latin Songs record among Latin rhythm artists, with 16th No. 1s, tying with Luis Miguel for the second-most, both behind Enrique Iglesias who still holds the most champs to date, 27.

Here’s a recap of the artists with the most leaders since Hot Latin Songs launched in 1994:

27, Enrique Iglesias
16, Bad Bunny
16, Luis Miguel
15, Gloria Estefan
13, Shakira
11, Marco Antonio Solis
11, Ricky Martin

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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Files $50M Defamation Lawsuit Over ‘Made-Up’ Videos Said to Show Sexual Assaults

Sean “Diddy” Combs has sued a man he says defamed him by falsely alleging he possessed videos of the embattled hip-hop mogul committing sexual assault, causing him “profound reputational and economic injury and severe prejudice” ahead of his criminal trial.

In the complaint, filed in New York federal court on Wednesday (Jan. 22), Combs accuses Courtney Burgess, along with Burgess’ attorney Ariel Mitchell, of “pretending they have proof that Mr. Combs engaged in heinous acts, knowing that no such proof exists” — thereby leading “millions of people … to believe in the made-up ‘evidence’ that Defendants have falsely described and vouched for.”

Mitchell notably represents several of Combs’ accusers.

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“Defendant Burgess falsely claimed that he possessed videos of Mr. Combs involved in the sexual assault of celebrities and minors,” write Combs’ attorneys Michael Termonte, Erica Wolff and Anna Estevao of the New York firm Sher Tremonte. They add that Mitchell then “repeated those lies” to media outlets while knowing all along that Burgess’ claims “were false, or at a minimum was utterly reckless in disregarding their falsity.” The complaint accuses both Burgess and Mitchell of seeking “to capitalize on the resulting publicity for financial gain” despite knowing that “no such tapes exist.”

Also named as a defendant in the lawsuit is cable network NewsNation, which the lawsuit claims “recklessly repeated and amplifed [Burgess’] lies as if they were true” without ever reaching out to Combs’ representatives for comment or verifying that the alleged videotapes existed in the first place.

To bolster their case, Combs’ attorneys attempt to discredit Burgess by referring to him as “a fringe character” who claims to have worked in the music industry “for decades” even though “there exists no public record of any professional achievements and he left no detectable footprint on the industry prior to his recent campaign to malign Mr. Combs.” They further allege that despite Burgess’ claims that he received the alleged videos from Combs’ late ex-girlfriend Kim Porter, he in fact had “no more than a passing acquaintance” with her.

Combs’ attorneys also claim that Burgess tried to capitalize on the highly publicized allegations swirling around Combs by posting a memoir allegedly written by Porter to Amazon, which they say later pulled the book after it “was denounced by Ms. Porter’s family and others as a fake,” according to the suit.

The lawsuit equally tries to discredit Mitchell — known for filing sexual assault cases against powerful men including Trey Songz, Chris Brown and Combs himself — by claiming her cases against Songz and Brown were disproven and that in “peddling false claims to media outlets” like NewsNation about the alleged videotapes of Combs, she “insisted on valuable benefits and payments in exchange for interviews, including first class air travel, four-star hotel accommodations, hair and makeup allowances, and a ‘materials fee’ for copies of, among other things, demand letters sent on behalf of one of her clients who sued Mr. Combs.”

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They add that Mitchell spread her alleged lies about Combs far and wide, including in multiple NewsNation appearances and in a documentary about Combs titled The Making of a Bad Boy that aired on NBC’s Peacock streaming service earlier this month. (NBC is not named as a defendant in the lawsuit.)

“Defendants made these false and defamatory statements in bad faith, as part of a deliberate effort to damage Mr. Combs’s reputation, undermine his businesses and, by painting him as debauched and a pedophile, to poison the public’s perception of him and deprive him of a fair trial,” Combs’ attorneys conclude.

Combs is asking for “not less” than $50 million in damages.

Burgess, Mitchell and NewsNation did not immediately respond to Billboard‘s requests for comment.

Combs is currently imprisoned at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn ahead of his criminal trial, which is set to kick off on May 5. He is charged with running a multi-faceted criminal enterprise in order to satisfy his need for “sexual gratification.” Among other accusations, he is alleged to have held so-called “freak off” parties, during which he and others drugged victims and coerced them into having sex. He faces a potential life prison sentence if convicted on all charges.

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How to Watch FireAid Benefit Concert for L.A. Wildfire Victims

The FireAid benefit concerts are just around the corner, supporting victims of the ongoing wildfire crisis that has devastated the Los Angeles area.

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The Jan. 30 event will take place at two venues, with Billie Eilish, Earth, Wind & Fire, Gracie Abrams, Jelly Roll, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga, Lil Baby, Olivia Rodrigo, Peso Pluma, Rod Stewart, Stevie Wonder, Sting and Tate McRae playing at Intuit Dome.

Meanwhile, Alanis Morissette, Anderson. Paak, Dave Matthews and John Mayer, Dawes, Graham Nash, Green Day, John Fogerty, Joni Mitchell, No Doubt, P!nk, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Stephen Stills, Stevie Nicks and The Black Crowes will be performing at the Kia Forum.

For fans who won’t be able to join the event in person, there are a number of ways to watch online. Amazon Music/Prime Video, Apple Music, the AppleTV app, Disney+/Hulu, Facebook/Instagram, iHeartRadio, KTLA+, Max, Netflix/Tudum, Paramount+, Peacock/NBC News Now, SiriusXM’s exclusive Life With John Mayer channel, SoundCloud, Veeps and YouTube will all be streaming the concerts.

Additionally, select AMC Theatre locations will host screenings of the event. Serving as the national audio partner, iHeartRadio will amplify the initiative and connect audiences nationwide via its hundreds of radio station and the iHeartRadio app.

Tickets to see the shows in person are on sale via Ticketmaster, starting at $99. All proceeds will go to benefit FireAid relief efforts, with all venue and ticketing service fees.

The FireAid benefit concert is being produced by Shelli, Irving and the Azoff family, in conjunction with Live Nation and AEG Presents. Joel Gallen of Tenth Planet is the executive producer and Rick Krim is the FireAid talent producer.

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Lauren Alaina Reveals Pregnancy in Tender ‘Those Kind of Women’ Music Video

Congratulations are in order for Lauren Alaina, who is expecting her first child with husband Cam Arnold!

The country star revealed the exciting news with People, and showed off her new baby bump in her music video for “Those Kind of Women,” released on Wednesday (Jan. 22). In the clip, the 30-year-old American Idol alum watches in awe as her mother raises her, from pregnancy to present — ultimately revealing that she’s going to be a mom herself, cradling her growing belly. “I was raised by those kind of women/ Rocked to sleep on Dolly and Dylan/ Set ya straight with a fly swatter whippin’/ You can always smell love cookin’ in the kitchen,” she sings in the chorus with her characteristically sweet country twang.

Alaina told People of her pregnancy, “[I didn’t know] I can love something that I haven’t even really held yet. I feel the baby inside me, and it’s kicking me and doing all of the things. It’s like I was the Grinch or something, and my heart grew.”

She added, “I’m looking forward to watching my husband be a dad. He is so obsessed with our animals; he’s a big nurturer in general. In fact, when I was getting ready to marry him, that was something that I knew would be one of the best things about being his wife, was being able to parent with him.”

Watch Alaina’s “Those Kind of Women” music video below.

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Billy Corgan and Bill Burr Address ‘Half-Brother’ Rumors

Billy Corgan and Bill Burr found themselves at the center of an unexpected family mystery during their recent appearance on Howie Mandel Does Stuff.

The Smashing Pumpkins frontman and the comedian were sprung with a surprise meeting organised by Mendel, during which the pair discussed their uncanny resemblance, along with the suggestion they might share a father.

The saga began back in November when Corgan appeared on the podcast and a mix-up by Mandel’s production team displayed a photo of Burr during his segment. This prompted Corgan to share a bizarre anecdote involving his stepmother, who had once suggested Burr might be one of his father’s illegitimate children.

“About 10 years ago, one of my brothers was having a birthday party, and my stepmother was there, who was obviously married to my father. And my stepmother said to me, ‘Do you know who Bill Burr is?,’” Corgan recalled at the time. “Now at that point, I had never heard of Bill Burr; I didn’t know who he was. I didn’t know he was a comedian or anything. He could have been the guy down the street.”

He continued, “She said, ‘Well, he’s this comedian.’ And I think I even somehow called up a picture on the phone, and I kind of noticed right away, ‘Gee, he kind of looks like my father.’ Bill Burr looks more like my father than Bill Burr looks like me or I look like Bill Burr. So I said to my mother, ‘Why are you asking me this?’”

“She goes, ‘I think it might be one of your father’s illegitimate children. Bill Burr might be one of the children that your father sired in his days being a traveling musician,’” he said.

Fast-forward to January, when Mandel orchestrated a surprise reunion between Corgan and Burr, bringing them together for the first time. Burr greeted the rocker with a casual “What’s up?” before turning to Mandel with mock irritation, quipping, “You’re an a——.” The conversation quickly turned into comedic gold as the two riffed on their supposed familial connection.

“Did you ever think the fact that I never told that story, that maybe you shouldn’t?” Burr joked to Corgan. “It’s not that I don’t like [Corgan], it reminds me of all of that s—.”

Corgan joined in, dismissing the idea that their resemblance could mean they’re related. “The fact that he said he can’t sing, I think, disproves that we’re related, ’cause I’m not funny,” he remarked. “So… it goes both ways.” At one point, Mandel even suggested that Burr should join the Smashing Pumpkins as a drummer.

Burr then asked Mandel, “What was supposed to happen? Are we gonna go play catch? We’re both in our fifties.”

While the attempted family reunion may not have been successful, Corgan’s career with the Smashing Pumpkins continues to thrive, with the band’s legacy cemented by hits like “1979,” which peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100, and “Bullet with Butterfly Wings,” which reached No. 22. Their double album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, earning critical acclaim and commercial success as one of the defining records of the 1990s.The album has since achieved Diamond certification, selling over 10 million copies worldwide.

In 2024, The Smashing Pumpkins released their 13th studio album, Aghori Mhori Mei, which saw a return to their early 90s sound with original members Billy Corgan, Jimmy Chamberlin, and James Iha.

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The Musician-Loved EOS Lip Balm Got Reinvented As a Viral Body Lotion — and It’s On Sale for $9

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.

Your skincare routine is more than just an act of self-care, it’s how you can keep your skin hydrated and clear. Body lotion is one of the easiest ways to help you retain clear and nourished skin, but you don’t have to invest in a designer formula to receive luxurious results. Amazon shoppers even prefer a $9 version by EOS and it’s still in stock (for now).

If the name EOS sounds familiar, it’s because you’ve likely seen the brand’s egg-shaped lip balm through the years, with prime product placement on store shelves and in music videos like Britney Spears’ “Make Me” and Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball.“

Now, EOS is moving from lip care to skin care, with their new EOS Shea Better Moisture Body Lotion. Released over the summer, it’s since gone viral on social media and is now a bestseller on Amazon, with more than 100,000 units sold this month alone.

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We’ve personally used and tested the EOS lotion and can confirm that it leaves behind “silky soft” results as well as “all day” moisture. Using a formula filled with shea butter and oil, the body lotion promises to be hypoallergenic while incorporating four more oils and butters to layer your skin in complete nourishment.

As you apply the lotion to your skin, reviewers also note that the skincare essential doesn’t leave behind a “greasy” residue and won’t leave your skin feeling sticky.

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There are eight scents to choose from, but TikTok and Amazon reviewers can’t seem to get enough of Vanilla Cashmere with some even noting the lotion “pairs wonderfully” with vanilla perfume. Even better: get this two-pack of EOS body lotion on Amazon and try the “Coconut Waters” scent too.

Dry skin won’t stand a chance either as one reviewer claimed the lotion makes “skin feel like satin” while another Amazon shopper wrote that “despite having fragrance in it, this lotion is very gentle and never stings or irritates.”

And it’s not just Amazon that the body lotion has gone viral on, more than 40 million videos have been made on TikTok for the search term “Eos Lotion” with users giving rave reviews over the skincare product.

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Want the original EOS lip balm? You can still find that musician-loved must-have on Amazon. This three-pack includes the egg-shaped lip balm in three flavors: Watermelon Frose, Mango Melonade and Coconut Milk

For more product recommendations, check out ShopBillboard‘s roundups of the best setting spray, freckle pens and sunscreen.

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Björk Says She’s Optimistic About Earth’s Future: ‘I Don’t Think It’s Cool to Give Up’

Icelandic musician Björk has offered a rather fresh take on the global state of affairs, admitting she’s feeling surprisingly optimistic about the future of the planet.

Björk made her comments in a new interview with Paper, where she spoke at length about her Cornucopia concert tour, which ran from 2019 – 2023. Not named for a specific album but thematically associated with 2017’s Utopia, the tour itself was a large-scale theatrical production which was described as her most ambitious to date.

Alongside elements of science fiction, the live show’s narrative was heavily focused around environmental concerns, with Björk ultimately asking the audience to think of contemporary issues affecting the world – such as the Paris Climate Accord (which newly-inaugurated President Donald Trump removed the U.S from once again).

“If we think of whatever climate accord we’re trying to reach as completely unreachable, then we’ll never be able to meet these goals,” Björk explained. “The only way to do it is to imagine a future and then step into it. We have to write climate accords that we can reach. We have to keep tweaking it until we get it right. And I’m hoping the next generation, when they take over, they’ll think about it in a different way and come up with different solutions, green ways of living.”

As she continued, Björk discussed her own experiences with activism, noting how her 2007 track “Declare Independence” was her first foray into blending art and activism – a concept she previously found laughable but eventually grew to embrace. Despite the doom and gloom going on in the world, however, she explained that she’s feeling “very excited about 2025”.

“There have always been apocalypses. We had Noah and the flood, we’ve had plagues,” she explained. “There’s always been this narrative, and now I think it’s about being active and being part of the solution. And also to have the courage to imagine a future and be in it, to be it. To inspire your work locally in your community or however you think you can make a difference. It is important.

“I do find it hard to watch some of these post-apocalyptic shows or films,” she adds. “It’s like you’ve just given up — the nihilism, the self-pity, it’s like it’s cool to give up. [Laughs] I don’t think it’s cool to give up. So it’s about figuring out how we can keep humanity and soul in the future worlds we’re building, where nature and technology can collaborate. But I think it is possible. I think with imagination, biology can take it, biology will be fine. Biology always wins.”

In September 2024, Björk previewed her Cornucopia concert film as part of Climate Week, with the film – which showcases a live performance of her tour, filmed in Lisbon, Portugal – arriving on Apple TV on Friday (Jan. 24).

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Record Store Day Names Post Malone as 2025 Ambassador

Post Malone is the latest artist to hold the title of Record Store Day Ambassador, the annual event has announced.

Set to take place on April 12, Record Store Day returns for its 18th year in 2025, celebrating close to two decades of supporting physical media, independent artists, and brick-and-mortar record stores. Now, Malone has been announced as the artist who is being honored with the title of 2025’s Record Store Day’s Ambassador.

“What an honor, I can’t believe I was chosen to be Record Store Day’s Ambassador for 2025,” Malone said in a statement. “Record Store Day is so important and I really hope to do my part to keep it alive. We love hitting local shops when we’re on the road, seeing all the crazy artwork, the whole energy in a record store is just super inspiring. I feel at home.

“It’s really an unexplainable feeling to hit up a shop and dig through crates, just see what grabs your eye. You can be looking for something super specific and end up finding something totally different. It’s the best. Keep supporting y’all and let’s keep records and these local shops going strong. Happy Record Store Day everybody!”

Malone joins a list of musical luminaries to hold the title, which has been bestowed annually since 2009. Previous years have seen the likes of Jack White, Run the Jewels, Ozzy Osbourne, Brandi Carlile, Metallica, and St. Vincent assume the role. In 2024, Paramore were the U.S. Ambassadors while Kate Bush took on duties for Record Store Day’s U.K. edition.

Traditionally, the Record Store Day Ambassador also partakes in the event by issuing a limited edition release on the day, though the list of exclusive releases for 2025 has not yet been announced. However, considering the success of his F-1 Trillion album in 2024 – which marked his transition to country music and topped the Billboard 200 – it could be speculated any prospective release will be related to his latest record.

“I’m very excited about Ambassador ‘Posty’”, added Record Store Day co-founder Carrie Colliton in a statement. “Musically, he’s all over the place — just like record stores and their customers, especially some of the newest, youngest people to embrace their local brick-and-mortar spaces.”

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Chris Brown Files $500M Defamation Lawsuit Over ‘A History of Violence’ Documentary: ‘Full of Lies’

Chris Brown has filed a lawsuit against Warner Bros. Discovery, alleging the media giant defamed him with a 2024 documentary claiming that the R&B star had a long history of sexually abusing women.

Filed Tuesday (Jan. 21) in Los Angeles Superior Court, the complaint accuses Warner Bros. Discovery and Ample Entertainment, the production company behind Chris Brown: A History of Violence, of “promoting and publishing false information in their pursuit of likes, clicks, downloads and dollars and to the detriment” of the R&B star — all while “knowing that it was full of lies and deception and violating basic journalistic principles.”

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“They did so after being provided proof that their information was false, and their storytelling ‘Jane Doe’ had not only been discredited over and over but was in fact a perpetrator of intimate partners violence and aggressor herself,” reads the lawsuit, which was filed by attorneys Arnold Shokouchi and Levi McCathern. “Mr. Brown has never been found guilty of any sex related crime…but this documentary states in every available fashion that he is a serial rapist and sexual abuser.”

The Jane Doe who made sexual assault accusations against Brown in the documentary — whom he identifies in the lawsuit — is also named as a defendant in the complaint, which alleges the woman “completely disregarded the facts in an attempt for fame and fortune — all at the cost of Chris Brown and the reputation he has worked diligently in redeeming over the last decade.”

The “sensationalized, unfounded, and defamatory allegations” in the documentary “have been discredited, dismissed by the courts, or outright fabricated,” Brown’s lawyers write. The lawsuit further alleges that the Jane Doe filed a “frivolous civil lawsuit” against Brown in January 2022 in which she accused him of sexual assault and battery — but that her claims “were determined to be entirely fabricated, leading to the withdrawal of her attorneys and dismissal of the case” that same August “after a Miami Beach Police detective uncovered text messages…that exposed her dishonesty.” It adds that while an investigative report published by Rolling Stone in March 2022 “further discredited her claims,” the ID documentary nonetheless portrayed her “as credible, ignoring her established lack of veracity.”

Later in the complaint, Brown’s attorneys break down the Jane Doe’s alleged “history of violence and erratic behavior [that] should have raised red flags for any responsible journalist.” The suit includes a copy of an alleged restraining order filed against Doe by an ex-boyfriend in 2021 “after she physically assaulted him, threatened him with a knife, and engaged in online harassment.”

“These incidents, detailed in court records and leading to her arrest by the Los Angeles Police Department, were disregarded by the Defendants, who instead framed her as a reliable source to bolster their sensationalized portrayal instead of the physical aggressor in a romantic relationship,” the complaint reads.

Key to the lawsuit is the accusation that the companies behind the documentary moved forward with its release even though they allegedly knew it “contained false claims and violated journalist professional standards” — claims Brown’s lawyers now say “caused significant harm to Mr. Brown’s reputation, career, and business opportunities.”

Several individuals who appeared as talking heads in the documentary are also named as defendants in the lawsuit.

Brown is asking for $500 million in damages, “a portion of which will be donated to survivors of sexual abuse.”

Warner Bros. Discovery and Ample Entertainment did not immediately respond to Billboard‘s requests for comment.

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