Music site Last.fm bought by CBS

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Social music site Last.fm has been bought by US media giant CBS Corporation for $280m (£140m). The online network allows users to connect with other listeners with similar music tastes, to custom-build their own radio stations and to watch music video-clips. It was founded in the UK five years ago and it now has more than 15 million active users. As part of the deal, Last.fm's managing team will remain in place and the site will maintain its own separate identity. "This move will really support us to get every track ever recorded and every music video ever made onto Last.fm. With a strong partner like CBS, this is now within our reach. The success of the site is the most important thing. With a strong partner we can add the features we always dreamed about," Last.fm founding member Martin Stiksel.

CBS radio is the largest radio group in the United States, with 179 stations in the top 50 markets covering news, rock, country and urban music. The firm's president and CEO Leslie Moonves said: "Last.fm is one of the fastest growing online communities out there. Their demographics also play perfectly to CBS's goal to attract younger viewers and listeners across our businesses."

Link: Forum Discussion (Thanks Rappy)

News source: BBC News

#1 duntkno on 31 May 2007 - 01:05

wow really? cbs? maybe with such a huge supporter, last.fm could spread

#2 Shof on 31 May 2007 - 01:11

Wow, this is kinda sad

#3 Willdev on 31 May 2007 - 01:15

Sad day

(1 reply) #4 Scutley on 31 May 2007 - 01:40

very sad

#4.1 Justin- on 31 May 2007 - 03:08

i would have to agree.

first i see this, then StumbleUpon ... sad all around.

#5 bangbang023 on 31 May 2007 - 01:44

Why is everyone getting so upset? It says the management will remain in tact and the site will continue to run as it's own entity.

#6 Doli on 31 May 2007 - 01:52

Why is it sad?

Quote -

As part of the acquisition, the Last.fm management team, including founders Felix Miller, Martin Stiksel and Richard Jones, will continue to independently run the online network

(1 reply) #7 iverson0881 on 31 May 2007 - 01:54

hopefully this will mean better servers!

#7.1 Shannon on 31 May 2007 - 03:31

Indeed!

#8 Nexus- on 31 May 2007 - 02:12

Um some of you people dont know that CBS started off as a radio business. They know how to run things like this without screwing it up. I would also wager and say that CBS does far better with their radio business then they do with their television.

#9 ataris_kid on 31 May 2007 - 05:23

Well, at least it's not Fox.

#10 RADicaLMMS on 31 May 2007 - 07:04

CBS guys are smart, they started expanding into online media distriubution faster than anybody else.

#11 [bear] on 31 May 2007 - 07:32

wow all the way from the audioscrobbler days.. congrats to these guys.

#12 +M2Ys4U on 31 May 2007 - 12:44

no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#13 RogueNW on 03 Jun 2007 - 23:47

I'm trying to keep a positive attitude about this.
My gut tells me the servers won't get any better and we'll see more advertising on the last.fm pages.
I hope I'm wrong on both counts.

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