Tia Ray Is Top Winner at China’s 2nd Wave Music Awards

Tia Ray was the top winner at China’s 2nd Wave Music Awards, which were presented in Beijing on June 20. The event was initiated by the Wave Music Committee and organized by Tencent Music Entertainment Group (TME), an online music platform in China.

Tia Ray (born Yuan Yawei) won the best female singer award, and also received honors for record of the year and best pop album for Allure.

Tia Ray, 39, a singer-songwriter from Hunan, China, rose to fame in 2012 as a contestant on the televised singing competition The Voice of China. She has since released four albums, all of which she co-wrote and co-produced.

Related

Tia Ray

Chinese Singer Tia Ray Announces 2024 Concert Tour

After almost three months of evaluation, the Wave Music Awards selected the most representative Chinese music works from nearly 10,000 new songs and more than 500 albums released in 2023. A total of 35 awards were presented across seven categories, including singer, style, creation and technology.

Album of the year was awarded to Flow by Faith Yang, 50. Song of the year went to “Mother and Daughter” by Huang Qishan, 56, and Curley G, 25.

Other highlights included best male singer won by JJ Lin, and best group, which was awarded to Radio Mars. Leah Dou’s “Monday” won best pop song, while Chinese rock band Young Drug’s “Flower” earned the best rock song award.

The Wave Music Awards also presented honors in the fields of creation and technology. Dao Lang’s “Luocha Haishi” won best lyrics, JJ Lin’s “Dust and Ashes” won best composition, Jude Qiu’s “Please Unfriend Leo” won best arrangement, Xu Jun’s “OPEN IT” won best album production, “The Source of Life” by Lowell Lo and Jonathan Lee won best single production, Faith Yang’s “Flow” got best recording studio engineering album and Eason Chan’s “Something Missing” won best music video.

The ceremony also featured performances by 11 artists with diverse styles. Such award winners as Huang Qishan, Yu Kewei, Leah Dou, Young Drug performed their honored works.

/by

Ice Spice Blows Kisses at Crowd Booing a Taylor Swift Song During Rolling Loud Europe Set: Watch

Ice Spice keeps her side of the street clean, especially when Taylor Swift is involved. When fans at the rapper’s Rolling Loud Europe set started booing her “Karma” collaborator’s song Sunday (July 7), the former had the best reaction: blowing kisses to the haters and keeping things moving.  

Related

Ice Spice and Taylor Swift

Ice Spice Plays Coy About Possible Taylor Swift Collaboration on New Album ‘Y2K!’

The moment came when Swift’s part of the duo’s “Karma” remix — which reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 after Ice hopped on the track last year — started playing over the speakers during the 24-year-old Bronx native’s festival set in Austria. “Swifties, make some noise!” Ice cheered, to which a group of fans started booing loudly, waving thumbs-down symbols. 

Ice, however, was unbothered. Instead of directly acknowledging the negativity, she simply blew a kiss and gave a stony expression, seemingly in the haters’ direction, before moving right along.  

The “In Ha Mood” artist was one of several musicians to take the stage at this year’s European edition of Rolling Loud, where she also performed tracks such as “Gimmie a Light” and new single “Phat Butt.” Nicki Minaj, Playboi Carti and Travis Scott served as headliners, while Gunna, Sexyy Red, Don Toliver, Offset and more were billed on the 2024 program as well.  

And if some festivalgoers were expecting Ice not stand by Swift, they were sorely mistaken. Both artists have been vocal in their support for one another since coming together on “Karma,” with the pop star asserting on more than one occasion that the rapper is the “one to watch.” 

Ice has also said that Swift often acts as a guiding light for her when it comes to her career. “When I was in the studio with Taylor, like, I’ll never forget that,” the rapper shared with Billboard in the March 2024 issue. “She told me, ‘No matter what, just keep making music and everything’s going to be fine.’”

The younger musician is currently gearing up to release her debut album, Y2K!, on July 26. After teasing that the project features more than one A-list collaboration, many fans have speculated that Swift may make an appearance for a “Karma” sequel — but Ice isn’t giving anything away just yet.  

“I don’t know,” she said at the BET Awards in June when asked about the rumors, giving a coy smile. “Let’s see, let’s see, let’s see.” 

See the moment Ice Spice blew kisses at her crowd while “Karma” played at her Rolling Loud Europe set. 

/by

Nicki Minaj Cancels Romania Show Over ‘Safety Concerns’ Ahead of Reported Bucharest Protests

Nicki Minaj canceled a planned set at the SAGA Festival in Romania on Sunday night (July 7) after the rapper said her security team warned her of potential issues due to a protest reportedly planned in Bucharest on Monday (July 8).

“Out of concern for the well-being of our team and myself, I have been advised by my security detail not to travel to Romania’s festival tonight due to safety concerns regarding protests in the area,” Minaj tweeted on Sunday night just hours before she was slated to take the stage. “I look forward to seeing you all at another time.”

Minaj noted that the decision was also made with her family in mind. “As a mom, I have to make sure I’m making sound decisions for me to make it home to my son and for my team to make it home to their families,” wrote the mother of a three-year-old son with husband Kenny Petty. “To not heed the advice of security at this time is simply not what I think I should be doing. I love you and thank you for your understanding and support. I am very excited to see my fans this Friday in London for another very special headlining show at Wireless Festival.”

Minaj was slated to headline the weekend festival that also featured sets from Armin Van Buuren, Raye, Rita Ora, Hardwell and Tyla among many others. The MC did not specify what the security concerns were and at press time a spokesperson had not returned a request for additional information on the cause of the show’s cancelation; in addition, at press time there appeared to be minimal reporting about a protest in Bucharest on Monday.

According to Rolling Stone, SAGA festival organizers issued a statement on Sunday, writing, “It is with a heavy heart that we have to announce Nicki Minaj has just cancelled her performance due to concerns for her and her team’s well-being in Romania… This has nothing to do with SAGA, and is beyond our powers. The news has left us all devastated, and we know it’s a huge disappointment for all of you, just as it is for us.” Organizers reportedly said that all unscanned tickets for the sold-out Sunday festival gig would be refunded.

The MC also reportedly ran into some issues during her show at Malahide Castle near Dublin, Ireland on Saturday night, when fans complained she took the stage late and performed a shortened set. The Irish Independent reported that some Barbz were demanding a full refund after Minaj was said to have made fans wait in the rain for 45 minutes before reportedly taking the stage after 10 p.m. local time, then cutting the gig short after 45 minutes. Other reports place her stage time between 60-63 minutes. Before the show, producer MCD Productions noted in an X post that “Nicki Minaj’s set is due to start at 8.20 pm,” noting that “the licensed curfew is 10:30pm.”

Typical set times on Minaj’s current tour have been running between 60 and 75 minutes according to setlist.fm and it appeared that the rapper performed for just over an hour in Dublin after being played on by her tour DJ, DJ Boof.

Minaj posted a series of pics from the set in Dublin — which she dubbed “#GagCityDUBLIN” — with followers taking to the comments section to air their disappointment about both shows. “girl when are you coming to romania if you didn’t attend saga?,” wrote on about the scotched Romania gig, with an Irish fan adding, “You have no respect for your fans @nickiminaj actually awful €100 for us to get drenched in the rain for you to play for 40 mins wow its actally shocking!!! No manners young kids badly disappointed you have no morals woman !!!! I hope all your future shows are boycotted.”

In another Instagram post featuring footage of Minaj preparing to take the stage in Dublin, fans continued to complain about the show, with one writing, “Worst gig ever, arrived on stage at 9.50, kept fans waiting in the lashings of rain, proceeded to have loads of length costume changes, lots of fans left disappointed,” with another saying, “The real reality?….Dublin mad as f cause she’s turned up hours late and people had to leave cause they were standing in rain for hours waiting.”

While Minaj has not made any additional statement beyond the one concerning the show in Romania, the rapper did cryptically post a series of images of the terrifying Chucky from the Child’s Play movies on her X account with no additional comment late Sunday night.

This isn’t the first hiccup on the tour. Minaj was arrested in Amsterdam in May on her way to perform in the UK at Manchester’s Co-Op Live after being detained by Dutch police who reportedly found “dozens of joints” in her luggage; shortly after, Minaj canceled a planned June 2 show at Ziggo Dome in Amsterdam.

The next gig on Minaj’s Pink Friday 2 tour is slated for Friday (July 12) at the Wireless Festival in London.

See Minaj’s statement below.

/by

The 20 Best K-Pop Albums of 2024 (So Far): Staff Picks

2024 has been a year of exciting versatility in the K-pop scene. From highly anticipated albums by BTS’ RM, TWICE, and ATEEZ, which propelled K-pop to the upper echelons of the Billboard 200, to projects by several emerging and impressive newcomers, the year has practically delivered too many releases that demand full attention, appreciation, and listen-through.

Some artists underwent refreshing and creative switch-ups years into their careers: NCT DREAM embraced the dark on DREAM( )SCAPE, the ITZY members tried their hands at songwriting and composing across tracks on Born to Be, and Cha Eun Woo showcased his captivating storytelling Entity. Meanwhile, Trust Me by GOT7’s Yugyeom, Fourever from DAY6, DALL by ARTMS, My Girl : My Choice from A.C.E, and Yves’ first solo album LOOP all arrived with a revitalized energy from the artists, sounding like the beginning of new stories in their musical journeys.

As always true with the best K-pop projects, this year’s top albums bring the exciting experimentation and risk-taking that’s shot South Korea to compete on the global music stage. But these releases also stand out for spotlighting artists’ personalized stories, unveiling new areas for their careers to evolve through and developing the next step in their unique musical worldviews.

With so many top-notch mini-albums, EPs and full-length albums from the K-pop scene to choose from in just the first six months, these 20 records helped the artists stand out from their peers. Below, Billboard offers our critics’ picks of the 20 best albums from the Korean-pop industry released in 2024 so far.

Don’t miss the 20 best K-pop songs from this year, either.

/by

Blessd & Ryan Castro Unveil Joint Ay Bendito Ghetto Tour: ‘There’s No Ego, Only Union’

Blessd and Ryan Castro — two of Colombia’s breakthrough urban stars — are hitting the road together in 2024, Billboard can exclusively announce.

The 15-date trek dubbed Ay Bendito Ghetto (named after their nicknames: Blessd’s “El Bendito” and Castro’s “El Cantante del Ghetto”) is powered by Touring the World and Seitrack US and will kick off Oct. 31st in San Jose, Calif. The tour will wrap in Atlanta on Dec. 1st after visiting key cities such as Los Angeles and Miami. 

“It was teamwork being able to do this tour,” Blessd tells Billboard. “It represents the union of both teams. Ryan and Blessd are the duo that’s not a duo but who everyone likes. I think it’s something that people are going to be surprised about and will like it.” 

“This has never happened in Colombia … two urban artists touring together,” Castro adds. “There’s a lot of ego in Colombia, but we have the fortune of being the first ones, and be an example for the new generation.” 

The two former Billboard Latin Artist on the Rise musicians did a joint concert in Colombia in 2022, where Blessd performed his show, then Castro, and it ended with the two singing their various collaborations together. They plan on doing a similar show for the tour, where they also hope to invite special guests and sing their respective bangers such as “Jordan” and “Medallo.”

“The best part is that we’re going to have fun and demonstrate that there’s no ego, only union among the new generation,” Blessd notes. “We have very high expectations because we know what we’re capable of. We know we’re going to kick a– and represent our flag, how we do on the daily with our individual careers.” 

Blessd is currently making the rounds with his Ovy on the Drums-produced single “Mirame” and joint EP with Maluma, 1 OF 1. Castro is promoting his debut studio album, El Cantante del Ghetto, and “El Ritmo Que Nos Une,” which has become Colombia’s official anthem during the 2024 Copa America.

Pre-sale tickets for the ¡Ay Bendito Ghetto! Tour go on sale at 10 a.m. local time on July 10 with thecode BENDITOGHETTO. General tickets go on sale Friday, July 12. Ticketing information is here; see the full list of concert dates below

Oct. 31 – San Jose, Calif. @ San Jose Civic
Nov. 2 – San Diego, Calif. @ Cal Coast Credit Union Open Air Theatre
Nov 3. – Los Angeles @ Peacock Theater
Nov. 7 – Boston @ Wang Theatre
Nov. 8 – Reading, Penn. @ Santander Arena
Nov. 9 – Rosemont, Ill. @ Rosemont Theatre
Nov. 10 – Houston @ 713 Music Hall
Nov. 15 – Irving, Texas @ The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
Nov. 17 – San Antonio, Texas @ Boeing Center
Nov. 20 – Newark, N.J. @ Prudential Center
Nov. 21 – Wallingford, Conn. @ Toyota Oakdale Theatre
Nov. 22 – Washington, D.C. @ EagleBank Arena
Nov. 29 – Hollywood, Fla @ Hard Rock Live
Nov. 30 – Orlando, Fla @ Hard Rock Live
Dec. 1 – Atlanta @ Gas South Arena

The “Ay Bendito Ghetto” tour is brought to the U.S. by Globalatino Music Partners/Cigol Music/Dímelo Jara Company in representation of Blessd and AWOO Corp/WK Records/BC Management in representation of Ryan Castro.

/by

Ye & Ty Dolla $ign Are Bringing the ‘Vultures’ Listening Experience to Korea

Oh my God they’re back again. Ye — formerly known as Kanye West — and Ty Dolla $ign are headed to Korea for a Vultures listening experience later this summer.

Related

Ty Dolla $ign, Billboard Cover Shoot

The ‘Master’: How Ty Dolla $ign Changed R&B and Hip-Hop — and Got Ye to Finish ‘Vultures 1…

Amid the speculation of the Korea show, Ty made it official on Saturday (July 6) with a post to Instagram announcing the listening party slated for Aug. 23.

“Vultures listening experience Korea 08 23 24,” the flyer reads. No information regarding tickets or which venue will be hosting the event has been announced yet.

There seemed to be a mixed reaction in Dolla $ign’s comments section, as some fans are frustrated that Vultures 2 hasn’t landed yet.

“Atp, I really forgot there would be two other albums,” one person wrote, while another said, “Drop the album bro now what you wating for?!”

Vultures 2 was originally slated to arrive on May 3, but that date came and went without any specific update from Ye or Ty.

Related

Ty Dolla $ign, Billboard Cover Shoot

Ty Dolla $ign Doesn’t ‘Give a F—‘ About Ye’s Controversies: He’s the ‘Best Artist of This…

However, in the “Or Nah” singer’s June Billboard cover story, Ty Dolla $ign confirmed that the album is essentially done and they’re mapping out a rollout for the sequel. “We got all the songs. Basically, it’s just like, ‘How can we get it there? How can we go bigger than the first album?’” he said. “Certain people will probably expect you to just do the same exact sound. But that sound’s already out.”

There were plans for a Vultures listening experience tour in the spring across the U.S., which also appeared to be scrapped as the dates vanished from Ye’s Ticketmaster page.

Vultures 1 arrived on Feb. 10 and debuted atop the Billboard 200 with 148,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in the week ending Feb. 15, according to Luminate. Ye and Ty also earned a Hot 100 No. 1 hit with “Carnival” featuring Rich The Kid and Playboi Carti. It was Ye’s first since guesting on Katy Perry’s “E.T.” in 2011 and Ty’s second following an appearance on Post Malone’s “Psycho” in 2018.

See Ty Dolla $ign post about the Korea listening experience below.

/by

Garth Brooks, Morgan Wallen, Taylor Swift & More Artists With Most Weeks at No. 1 on Top Country Albums Chart: Full List

Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time logs its 55th week at No. 1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart (dated July 13), which ups Wallen’s career tally of weeks at No. 1 to 154 – a total topped by only one artist in the chart’s more than 60-year history. You can probably guess who it is, but we’re going to make you scroll through the list to find out for sure.

Wallen’s achievement is especially impressive because he has amassed this hefty total of weeks at No. 1 in such a short amount of time. He first topped the chart on Aug. 15, 2020.

Top Country Albums originated as Hot Country Albums in the Jan. 11, 1964 issue of Billboard. Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire (The Best of Johnny Cash) headed the inaugural chart. The compilation was well-timed: “Ring of Fire” had headed Hot Country Songs for seven weeks the previous summer and had crossed over to reach the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The chart was named Hot Country LP’s from 1968 to 1984, when vinyl LPs were king.

Twenty-one artists have logged 50 or more weeks at No. 1 on Top Country Albums. Male solo artists dominate, as you might expect, though three female solo artists have achieved the feat, as have two groups. (One of those groups is an all-female group.) Only one Black artist has amassed 50 or more weeks at No. 1, though that may change as country becomes more inclusive.

Here’s a look at all artists who have topped Top Country Albums for 50 or more weeks.

/by

Queen, Taylor Swift, Michael Bublé and the Albums With the Most Weeks at No. 1 on Top Catalog Albums

Taylor Swift’s Lover logs its 51st week at No. 1 on Billboard’s Catalog Albums chart this week (dated July 13), extending its record for the longest run by a female solo artist in the chart’s history. Lover eclipsed Adele’s debut album, 19, in May.

Lover didn’t get all that much love (at least by Swift’s sky-high standards) when it was released. The album spent just one week at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and was passed over for a Grammy nod for album of the year (though it did receive a Grammy nod for best pop vocal album). But the belated success of “Cruel Summer,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks starting in October 2023, more than four years after the album’s release, has revived the album. The phenomenal success of the Eras Tour has also kept it high on the charts.

The Catalog Albums chart ranks the week’s most popular catalog albums in the U.S. Catalog albums are titles that are older than 18 months old and have fallen below No. 100 on the Billboard 200 — or holiday albums in their second holiday season. The chart was introduced in Billboard in the issue dated May 25, 1991.

For the first 18 years of Top Catalog Albums, catalog albums weren’t eligible to appear on the Billboard 200. That changed with the Dec. 5, 2009-dated chart, when catalog restrictions were lifted, turning the Billboard 200 into an all-inclusive list of the best-selling albums in the country, regardless of their age. (The adjustment came after Michael Jackson’s death in June 2009, which triggered a sales explosion for his catalog titles. Jackson’s catalog compilation Number Ones was the best-selling album in six of the first seven weeks following his death, yet was ineligible for Billboard’s flagship chart – marking the first time a catalog album had outsold the No. 1 album on the Billboard 200.) Starting with the issue dated Dec. 13, 2014, Billboard shifted from pure sales to a multi-factor consumption formula that also includes on-demand streaming and digital track sales.

We’re going to count down the 17 albums with the longest runs at No. 1 on Catalog Albums from 1991 to the present. It’s an eclectic list, to say the least. It includes two Christmas albums, a film soundtrack and a remarkably wide range of music, including pop, traditional pop, rock, hard rock, R&B, rap, country and reggae.

Eight of the albums on the list were released prior to the 1991 inception of the chart. Impressively, they made the list even though activity prior to the chart’s inception doesn’t count.

Here are the albums with the longest runs at No. 1 on Catalog Albums from 1991 to the present. Each entry includes the album’s release date, the date the album first reached No. 1 on Catalog Albums and the album’s peak position on the Billboard 200.

/by

5 Must-Hear New Country Songs: Morgan Wallen, Thomas Rhett, Avery Anna & More

This week’s crop of new music includes the latest from country music powerhouse Morgan Wallen, while Thomas Rhett delves into ’90s country influences on his contribution to the Twisters movie soundtrack. This week’s new country releases also include music from Avery Anna, Chase Matthew and Vincent Mason.

Morgan Wallen, “Lies Lies Lies”

The Sneedville, Tennessee native has swiftly become one of country music’s dominant forces — and with his recent Hyde Park show in London and an upcoming slate of U.K. shows, Wallen is displaying his prominence as a key figure in heightening country music’s global reach. He’s been a consistent hitmaker, lobbing one popular track after another at Billboard’s Hot Country Songs chart, and earning two pinnacle-reaching Hot 100 hits (including the 16-week No. 1 “Last Night”). While many of those hits have been sleek, uptempo productions, Wallen takes a slight respite with this moody, heartbreak-riddled ballad, having previously recorded a live version of the song for his Abbey Road Sessions project. “Lies Lies Lies” finds Wallen in the throes of an unsuccessful attempt to convince himself that he is now fully removed from an ex-lover, only to collide with deep-seated, undeniable reality on the key line, “I’m still a fool for you.” Written by Jessie Jo Dillon, Josh Miller, Daniel Ross and Chris Tompkins, this angst-fueled ballad offers a vessel for the soulful nuances in Wallen’s Tennessee twang.

Thomas Rhett, “Feelin’ Country”

This rollicking track — which marks Thomas Rhett’s contribution to the soundtrack Twisters: The Album — details the early hours of an evening that seems guaranteed to bring both partying and romance, with a few essential elements including a local beer joint, some classic ‘90s George Strait filling the air and a lover with, as Rhett sings, “a neon green dance-with-me look in her eyes.” While much of this singer-songwriter’s catalog of 20 No. 1 Billboard Country Airplay hits has been woven upon a bedrock of glaze-smooth, pop-leaning constructions, here he reminds listeners that he can handle a hefty slice of ‘90s country with aplomb.

Avery Anna, “Girl Next Door”

Singer-songwriter Anna turns in one of her strongest tracks yet with this intricate sketch of a young girl who offers friendship to another 13-year-old who moves into the neighborhood, while also providing refuge as her friend navigates a strenuous family situation. She recalls the contrasting lives the two girls, with keen observations such as, “I was playing in the sun/ While you were taking care of everyone.” The fact that the composition was written by Anna alone makes the song, and her honeyed-yet-disquieted vocal rendering, all the more potent. Anna’s debut album, Breakup Over Breakfast, will be released July 19 on Warner Music Nashville, and seems aimed to heightening Anna’s promise as a towering, soul-baring tunesmith.

Vincent Mason, “Heart Like This”

Interscope/UMG Nashville/Music Soup artist Mason earned a viral hit earlier this year with the tune “Hell is a Dance Floor” and subsequently released his EP Can’t Just Be Me. On his latest, he lends his gritty, flame-warm voice to a song detailing the emergence from heartbreak’s emotional wreckage and the subsequent ache-numbing attempts, only to ponder the way forward for someone whose heart has been battered. Mason wrote this stripped-back track with Cary Barlowe and Jaxson Free, and lyrically, “Heart Like This” is at once poetic and direct in its assertion. Yet Mason and co. infuse it with a melody that hews slightly closer along the lines of modern country than some of his previous efforts, making for release both heartfelt and contemporary.

Chase Matthew, Always Be Mine (EP)

Across the span of five tracks on his newly released EP, the “Love You Again” singer makes a succinct yet vigorous bid to further build upon his hitmaking status. The EP offers up the heartbreak and hip-hop fusion of “Always Be Mine,” as well as the rock-dripped reminiscing of “First.”  But chief among them is the closer “How You Been (Letter to the County Line Girl),” a soulful track that dials up the angst with a story arc of a chance encounter with a former flame. Overall, the set highlights his unique sifting of country, rock and soul elements and his ability to fuse them with his muscular vocal.

/by

Paramount Agrees to Merger With Skydance, Ending Redstone Family’s Reign

The entertainment giant Paramount will merge with Skydance, closing out a decades long run by the Redstone family in Hollywood and injecting desperately needed cash into a legacy studio that has struggled to adapt to a shifting entertainment landscape.

It also signals rise of a new power player, David Ellison, the founder of Skydance and son of billionaire Larry Ellison, the founder of the software company Oracle.

Shari Redstone’s National Amusements has owned more than three-quarters of Paramount’s Class A voting shares though the estate of her late father, Sumner Redstone. She had battled to maintain control of the company that owns CBS, which is behind blockbuster films such as “Top Gun” and “The Godfather.”

Just weeks after turning down a similar agreement with Skydance, however, Redstone agreed to a deal on terms that had not changed much.

“Given the changes in the industry, we want to fortify Paramount for the future while ensuring that content remains king,” said Redstone, who is chair of Paramount Global.

The new combined company is valued at around $28 billion.

Skydance, based in Santa Monica, California, has helped produce some major Paramount hits in recent years, including Tom Cruise films like “Top Gun: Maverick” and installments of the “Mission Impossible” series.

Skydance was founded in 2010 by David Ellison and it quickly formed a production partnership with Paramount that same year. Ellison, if the deal is approved by U.S. regulators, will become chairman and chief executive officer of what’s being called New Paramount.

The on-again, off-again merger arrives at tumultuous time for Paramount, which in an annual shareholder meeting in early June laid out a restructuring plan that includes major cost cuts.

Leadership at Paramount has been volatile this year after its CEO Bob Bakish, following a number of disputes with Redstone, was replaced with an “office of the C.E.O,” run by three executives. Four company directors were also replaced.

Paramount, however, has struggled to find its footing for years and its cable business has been hemorrhaging. To capture today’s growing streaming audience, the company launched Paramount+ back in 2021, but losses and debts have continued to grow.

Sumner Redstone used National Amusements, his family’s movie theater chain, to build a vast media empire that included CBS and Viacom, which have merged and separated a number of times over the years. Most recently, the companies re-joined forces in 2019, undoing the split consummated in 2006. The company, ViacomCBS, changed its name to Paramount Global in 2022.

Under Sumner Redstone’s leadership, Viacom became one of the nation’s media titans, home to pay TV channels MTV and Comedy Central and movie studio Paramount Pictures.

It is a company with a rich history, as well as a deep bank of media assets, ankd Skydance wasn’t the only one to gun for Paramount in recent months — Apollo Global Management and Sony Pictures also made competing offers.

Late last year, Warner Bros. Discovery also made headlines for exploring a potential merger with Paramount. But by February, Warner had reportedly halted those talks.

/by