SOUNDSTORM Concludes after 260 Hours of Music

A general view during MDLBeast Soundstorm 2021 on December 19, 2021 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Neville Hopwood/Getty Images
A general view during MDLBeast Soundstorm 2021 on December 19, 2021 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Neville Hopwood/Getty Images
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SOUNDSTORM Concludes after 260 Hours of Music

A general view during MDLBeast Soundstorm 2021 on December 19, 2021 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Neville Hopwood/Getty Images
A general view during MDLBeast Soundstorm 2021 on December 19, 2021 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Neville Hopwood/Getty Images

Music lovers said goodbye to the region’s largest music festival in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, SOUNDSTORM, after over 260 hours of music played on seven stages over three days.

Tickets to watch the greatest, global artists partaking in this gigantic musical manifestation were sold out as hundreds of thousands of people attended to enjoy all kinds of music on massive stages.

The last day of the festival was packed with the world’s greatest DJs and singers on all stages. The audience at the Big Beast stage were thrilled with DJ Afrojack and his collaboration with Egypt’s Mohamed Ramadan, as well as Marshmello, and David Guetta who played until 3:00 am.

Despite the cold weather encircling the Saudi capital these days, the festival added a special warmth, offering an exquisite, thrilling place that attracts any life lover. The music and the accompanying activities that entertained the visitors while moving from stage to another turned the festival into an endless pleasure.

In the Tent Beast, a giant tent equipped with several giant screens and lasers, visitors found the excitement zone where they can never feel bored. On its last day, the tent hosted long hours of music played by some of the world’s most known DJs including R3HAB, Steve Aoki, and Lost Frequencies who spent the whole night entertaining thousands of fans.

The Down Beast stage was dedicated to those who wanted to stay away from loud music and dancing, and sat to listen to quiet music with their loved ones. Down Beast concluded its days with Palestinian singer Elyanna with her peaceful, tender voice, Jorja Smith, followed by the band Autostrad, and finally with Shkoon.

The four Underground stages entertained their audiences with renowned artists including Amber Broos, Kayan, Rash, Carl Cox, and many others DJs who played techno music and high-pitch rhythms that turned the spectators into storms of singing and dancing.

Most of the visitors agreed that these three days were among the most entertaining days they have ever witnessed; the ambiance they experienced during SOUNDSTORM were full of joy, music, and entertainment accompanied with the best services, foods, and beverages.

The SOUNDSTORM festival brought together over 100 artists from around the world to perform for hundreds of thousands of spectators. This year’s edition hosted the best DJs and singers including DJ Khaled, Post Malone, Bruno Mars, Busta Rhymes, in addition to Arabic singers such as Nancy Ajram, Myriam Fares, Majid al-Muhandis, Amr Diab, and Mohamed Hamaki.



About 18 Million People Watched Oscars Honor ‘Anora’ 

Host Conan O'Brien holds an Oscar statue during the Oscars show at the 97th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, March 2, 2025. (Reuters)
Host Conan O'Brien holds an Oscar statue during the Oscars show at the 97th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, March 2, 2025. (Reuters)
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About 18 Million People Watched Oscars Honor ‘Anora’ 

Host Conan O'Brien holds an Oscar statue during the Oscars show at the 97th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, March 2, 2025. (Reuters)
Host Conan O'Brien holds an Oscar statue during the Oscars show at the 97th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, March 2, 2025. (Reuters)

This year's Oscars telecast that honored independent film "Anora" brought in an estimated 18.1 million US viewers on television and streaming, according to data released by broadcaster ABC on Monday.

The audience for the highest honors in Hollywood fell 7% from the 2024 ceremony, when 19.5 million people tuned in to see blockbuster biopic "Oppenheimer" take best picture.

Among adults under 50, viewership rose 3% from last year, ABC said.

"Anora," an unconventional fairy tale about an exotic dancer and the son of a Russian oligarch, won this year's best picture prize and four other honors at the ceremony. The movie has brought in $40 million at global box offices, compared with nearly $976 million for "Oppenheimer."

Comedian Conan O'Brien hosted the Oscars for the first time and was generally applauded by TV critics. The show ran nearly four hours and mostly avoided politics.

O'Brien "absolutely rocked his debut as a host, walking the perfect line between acid and affection," wrote Owen Gleiberman of Variety. "This was Conan at his acerbic best, giving Jimmy Kimmel a run for his money."

The Academy Awards aired live on Walt Disney's ABC and streamed on Hulu. Some viewers reported glitches on Hulu and said the stream ended just before best actress and best picture were announced.

Viewership of Hollywood awards ceremonies has dropped in recent years as audiences ditched traditional television for streaming and social media.

Sunday's awards generated 104.2 million social interactions, more than music's Grammy Awards and the National Football League's Super Bowl, ABC said. The highest-rated Academy Awards telecast aired in 1998, when megahit "Titanic" swept the honors. More than 57 million people tuned in that year. In 2021, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Oscar ratings hit their low point with 10.5 million viewers.