Last.fm returns to independence after 19 years under corporate ownership · News ⟋ RAThe music discovery and listening-tracking platform has split from Paramount Skydance.
Last.fm has announced that it’s operating as an independent company once again, ending nearly two decades of ownership under major media corporations.
In a statement published last Wednesday, May 27th, the music discovery and listening-tracking platform said that while ownership had changed, the service itself would continue as normal. User accounts, listening histories, privacy settings and Pro subscriptions will remain unaffected, while the team behind the product will stay in place.
“Today, Last.fm begins a new chapter as an independent company,” the statement read. “Ownership has changed, but the product you use every day has not.”
The company has not disclosed financial details of the transaction or identified its new ownership structure. However, the move marks the end of a corporate lineage that began when CBS acquired Last.fm for $280 million in 2007. The platform subsequently became part of Paramount Skydance through a series of mergers and restructurings.
Founded in London in 2002, Last.fm became one of the web’s most influential music services through its scrobbling technology, which tracks listening activity across media players and streaming platforms. While its online radio service was discontinued in 2014, the company has remained a widely used destination for listening statistics, recommendations and music discovery.
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