Billboard

Overview

Billboard is an American music and entertainment magazine and news website that publishes charts, news, reviews and video related to the global music industry, owned by Penske Media Corporation.

History

Billboard was founded on November 1, 1894, in Cincinnati, Ohio, by William Donaldson and James Hennegan as Billboard Advertising, a trade publication for the bill-posting and outdoor advertising industry. Donaldson bought out Hennegan's interest in 1900, and the publication was renamed The Billboard in 1897 before shifting its focus toward music and entertainment coverage in the 1930s. The Billboard Hot 100 singles chart launched in 1958. Ownership passed through several media companies over the following decades until September 2020, when Penske Media Corporation assumed operations of Billboard through a joint venture with Media Rights Capital known as PMRC; Penske later took full ownership.

Notable works

Billboard's charts, including the Hot 100, Billboard 200 and Billboard Global 200, are widely used industry benchmarks for measuring recorded-music popularity based on sales, airplay and streaming data.

Key personnel

Chief Executive Officer, Billboard: Mike Van (since April 2025, after serving as president since 2022)
Chairman and CEO, Penske Media Corporation: Jay Penske

Audience

Billboard reaches music industry professionals and general music fans worldwide, with more than 18 million unique monthly visitors and coverage extending to regional editions including Billboard Korea, launched in January 2024.

Location and contact info

Publisher
Penske Media Corporation
Website
https://www.billboard.com