Last.fm Regains Independence After Paramount Skydance Ownership

Last.fm has announced it has become an independent company again, marking a significant ownership change nearly two decades after being acquired by CBS Interactive. The music tracking website, which allows users to monitor their listening habits across multiple streaming platforms including Spotify, YouTube, and Apple Music, confirmed the transition through a forum announcement stating: "Today, Last.fm begins a new chapter as an independent company." The company emphasized that despite the change in ownership, the product and user experience remain unchanged.

The transition preserves all user data and functionality. Last.fm will retain all user accounts, scrobbles (recorded song plays), data, privacy settings, Pro subscriptions, and billing information. The platform's current team will continue operating the service, ensuring continuity for its millions of users who depend on it to track their music consumption across various streaming services.

Last.fm's history spans more than two decades. The platform began as an internet radio station in 2002 and introduced its signature scrobbling feature years later following a merger with the original team that created the tracking technology. The company operated independently until 2007, when CBS Interactive acquired it for $280 million. Following Paramount and Skydance's merger, Last.fm eventually separated from the combined corporation to return to independent status. In 2014, the company discontinued its $3-per-month subscription radio service to focus exclusively on tracking listening habits across third-party streaming platforms.