Billboard (stylized in lowercase since 2013) is an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation.

After Donaldson died in 1925, Billboard was inherited by his and Hennegan's children, who retained ownership until selling it to private investors in 1985.

[9] After a brief departure over editorial differences, Donaldson purchased Hennegan's interest in the business in 1900 for $500 (equal to $15,100 today) to save it from bankruptcy.

He improved editorial quality and opened new offices in New York, Chicago, San Francisco, London, and Paris,[9][10] and also refocused the magazine on outdoor entertainment such as fairs, carnivals, circuses, vaudeville, and burlesque shows.

[2] Donaldson also published news articles opposing censorship, supporting productions exhibiting good taste and decrying yellow journalism.

[2] According to The Business of Culture: Strategic Perspectives on Entertainment and Media, the column identified discrimination against black performers and helped validate their careers.

[10] Billboard began covering the motion-picture industry in 1907[8] but, facing strong competition from Variety, centered its focus on music.

[9] The jukebox industry continued to grow through the Great Depression and was advertised heavily in Billboard,[9]: 262  which led to even more editorial focus on music.

[5] The number of charts that it published grew after World War II, as new music interests and genres became popular.

[11] A five-column tabloid format was adopted in November 1950 and coated paper was first used in Billboard's print issues in January 1963, allowing for photojournalism.

[15] The investors cut costs and acquired a trade publication for the Broadway theatre industry called Backstage.

[9] As BPI Communications, it acquired The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek, Marketing Week and Mediaweek, and also purchased Broadcast Data Systems, a high-tech firm for tracking music airtime.

[9] Private investors from Boston Ventures and BPI executives repurchased a two-thirds interest in Billboard Publications for $100 million, and more acquisitions followed.

[9] In 1994, Billboard Publications was sold to Dutch media conglomerate Verenigde Nederlandse Uitgeverijen (VNU) for $220 million.

[18][19] New CEO Robert Krakoff divested some of the previously owned publications, restructured the organization and planned some acquisitions before dying suddenly in 2007.

[25][26] The assets operate under the Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group, a unit of the holding company Eldridge Industries.

Girard and a female employee filed a $29 million lawsuit alleging that Billboard fired them unfairly with an intent to damage their reputations[30] and that they experienced sexual harassment, a hostile work environment and a financially motivated lack of editorial integrity.

[32] In the 2000s, economic decline in the music industry dramatically reduced readership and advertising from Billboard's traditional audience.

During Conniff's tenure, Billboard's newsstand sales jumped 10%, ad pages climbed 22% and conference registrations rose 76%.

[40] The magazine became more of a general-interest music-news source rather than solely an industry trade, covering more celebrity and fashion news.

For example, the magazine polled readers on a lawsuit that singer Kesha filed against her producer, alleging sexual abuse.

[47] Billboard publishes a news website and weekly trade magazine that covers music, video and home entertainment.

[10] It covers news, gossip, opinion,[2] and music reviews, but its "most enduring and influential creation" is the Billboard charts.

The print magazine's regular sections include:[1] Billboard is known for publishing several annual listicles on its website, in recognition of the most influential executives, artists and companies in the music industry, such as the following: Since 1990 Billboard established the Billboard Music Awards, an awards ceremony honors top album, artist and single in a number of different music genres which achieved the highest results during the year form sales, streaming, radio airplay, touring, and social engagement.

Through the years, Billboard has established several other awards to honor different music genres, live performances, and artists.