Latest news with #S&M
Forbes
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Metallica Returns To A Chart That Seems A Strange Fit For The Band
Metallica returns to Billboard's Classical Albums chart at No. 24 with S&M, a 25-year-old live set ... More with the San Francisco Symphony. SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 06: James Hetfield (L) and Kirk Hammett of Metallica perform with the San Francisco Symphony during the "S&M2" concerts at the opening night at Chase Center on September 06, 2019 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by) Metallica lives on Billboard's hard rock charts, where the group never completely disappears. Sometimes the band remains present with just one album, while in other instances, the rockers claim a successful project and one or even several popular songs. At the moment, Metallica finds space not just on the hard rock-focused lists, but also on those focused on more general rock music, as well as some rankings that don't stick to only one style, but rather, a single form of consumption. The legends even managed to return to one tally in America that has nothing to do with rock music. Metallica Returns to the Classical Albums Chart Metallica finds its way back to the Classical Albums chart this week. The group reappears at No. 24 with S&M, a live recording that flips many of the band's tunes on their head and makes them sound completely different from how most fans know them. The project is credited not only to Metallica but also to Michael Kamen, conducting the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra. S&M Peaked Inside the Top 10 S&M debuted on the Classical Albums tally in March 2020, and the set reached its high point of No. 8 in September of that year. Including this latest stay, the project has now spent 27 weeks among the most successful classical recordings in the United States. Its follow-up, S&M2, was even more successful. In the same week S&M reached its peak in September 2020, S&M2 debuted at No. 1, where it would go on to spend 10 weeks. That full-length has now racked up exactly a year on the Classical Albums ranking. Metallica's S&M Recently Turned 25 Metallica released S&M in November 1999, and the album recently turned 25 years old. The masterpiece, which is widely regarded as one of the most impressive live albums of all time, sees the band performing some of its most familiar singles — such as 'Master of Puppets,' 'Nothing Else Matters,' and 'Enter Sandman' — with the backing of the San Francisco Symphony, whose performance adds a new element to the heavy metal group's catalog. Metallica, Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets Hit the Sales Chart Metallica scores a number of hit albums in America this week. In addition to S&M, the group's self-titled effort appears on four rankings, including the Billboard 200, Top Rock & Alternative Albums, and Top Hard Rock Albums, where it holds at No. 8. Both Ride the Lightning and Master of Puppets join Metallica on the Top Album Sales chart, where all three dip from their positions the previous frame. The group also sees 'Enter Sandman' continue to chart inside the top 10 on both the Hard Rock Streaming Songs and Hard Rock Digital Song Sales tallies at the same time.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Here's Why Sales & Marketing Spend is Pivotal for Coinbase
Coinbase Global's COIN sales and marketing (S&M) spend is driving brand credibility, user acquisition and deeper customer engagement. In 2024, Coinbase nearly doubled its S&M spend to $654 million, an increase of 97% year over year, primarily due to higher digital advertising and expanded USDC rewards aimed at retaining assets on the platform. These efforts yielded strong results as monthly transacting users (MTUs) rose 14% to 8.4 million, assets on the platform more than doubled to $404 billion, and trading volume surged 148% to $1.16 close alignment between S&M spending and user activity demonstrates a strong return on investment. Notably, stablecoin-based rewards helped lift subscription and services revenues by boosting average on-platform balances. In the first quarter of 2025, S&M expense reached $247 million, more than double year over year, driving a 17% increase in transaction revenues. Sales and marketing spend accounted for 10% of total revenues in 2024 and rose to 12% in the first quarter of 2025. Management estimates sales and marketing spend between $215 million and $315 million in the second quarter of strategic use of marketing supports scalable growth, asset locking and monetization opportunities across its ecosystem. While increased S&M outlays may put pressure on margins in the near term, historical data suggests that every incremental marketing dollar has driven meaningful growth in volume and recurring income. As such, disciplined S&M investment remains a value-accretive driver of Coinbase's long-term shareholder returns. Marketing expenses are critical to Robinhood Markets' HOOD performance, helping the platform attract and retain a broad base of retail investors in a competitive fintech landscape and supporting growth in assets under custody and transaction-based revenues. Robinhood's marketing expenses increased 57% year over year in the first quarter of 2025 and constituted 26.4% of total and marketing spending is also essential to Block Inc.'s XYZ growth, fueling expansion across its broad suite of financial services and strengthening relationships in a competitive fintech landscape. For Block, S&M increased 13.6% year over year in the first quarter of 2025 and constituted 8.7% of total revenues. Shares of COIN have gained 37.3% year to date, outperforming the industry. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research COIN trades at a price-to-earnings value ratio of 60.33, above the industry average of 19.74. But it carries a Value Score of F. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The Zacks Consensus Estimate for COIN's second-quarter and third-quarter 2025 EPS has moved up 10.3% and 7.1%, respectively, over the past 30 days. The same for full-year 2025 and 2026 has increased 22.8% and 2.7%, respectively. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The consensus estimate for COIN's 2025 and 2026 revenues indicates year-over-year increases. While the consensus estimate for COIN's 2025 EPS indicates a decline, the same for 2026 EPS suggests an increase. COIN stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Coinbase Global, Inc. (COIN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Robinhood Markets, Inc. (HOOD) : Free Stock Analysis Report Block, Inc. (XYZ) : Free Stock Analysis Report This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research ( Zacks Investment Research
Globe and Mail
01-07-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Here's Why Sales & Marketing Spend is Pivotal for Coinbase
Coinbase Global 's COIN sales and marketing (S&M) spend is driving brand credibility, user acquisition and deeper customer engagement. In 2024, Coinbase nearly doubled its S&M spend to $654 million, an increase of 97% year over year, primarily due to higher digital advertising and expanded USDC rewards aimed at retaining assets on the platform. These efforts yielded strong results as monthly transacting users (MTUs) rose 14% to 8.4 million, assets on the platform more than doubled to $404 billion, and trading volume surged 148% to $1.16 trillion. The close alignment between S&M spending and user activity demonstrates a strong return on investment. Notably, stablecoin-based rewards helped lift subscription and services revenues by boosting average on-platform balances. In the first quarter of 2025, S&M expense reached $247 million, more than double year over year, driving a 17% increase in transaction revenues. Sales and marketing spend accounted for 10% of total revenues in 2024 and rose to 12% in the first quarter of 2025. Management estimates sales and marketing spend between $215 million and $315 million in the second quarter of 2025. Coinbase's strategic use of marketing supports scalable growth, asset locking and monetization opportunities across its ecosystem. While increased S&M outlays may put pressure on margins in the near term, historical data suggests that every incremental marketing dollar has driven meaningful growth in volume and recurring income. As such, disciplined S&M investment remains a value-accretive driver of Coinbase's long-term shareholder returns. What About COIN's Competitors? Marketing expenses are critical to Robinhood Markets ' HOOD performance, helping the platform attract and retain a broad base of retail investors in a competitive fintech landscape and supporting growth in assets under custody and transaction-based revenues. Robinhood's marketing expenses increased 57% year over year in the first quarter of 2025 and constituted 26.4% of total revenues. Sales and marketing spending is also essential to Block Inc.'s XYZ growth, fueling expansion across its broad suite of financial services and strengthening relationships in a competitive fintech landscape. For Block, S&M increased 13.6% year over year in the first quarter of 2025 and constituted 8.7% of total revenues. COIN's Price Performance Shares of COIN have gained 37.3% year to date, outperforming the industry. COIN's Expensive Valuation COIN trades at a price-to-earnings value ratio of 60.33, above the industry average of 19.74. But it carries a Value Score of F. Estimates for COIN Witness Northward Movement The Zacks Consensus Estimate for COIN's second-quarter and third-quarter 2025 EPS has moved up 10.3% and 7.1%, respectively, over the past 30 days. The same for full-year 2025 and 2026 has increased 22.8% and 2.7%, respectively. Image Source: Zacks Investment Research The consensus estimate for COIN's 2025 and 2026 revenues indicates year-over-year increases. While the consensus estimate for COIN's 2025 EPS indicates a decline, the same for 2026 EPS suggests an increase. COIN stock currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here. Only $1 to See All Zacks' Buys and Sells We're not kidding. Several years ago, we shocked our members by offering them 30-day access to all our picks for the total sum of only $1. No obligation to spend another cent. Thousands have taken advantage of this opportunity. Thousands did not - they thought there must be a catch. Yes, we do have a reason. We want you to get acquainted with our portfolio services like Surprise Trader, Stocks Under $10, Technology Innovators, and more, that closed 256 positions with double- and triple-digit gains in 2024 alone. See Stocks Now >> Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report Coinbase Global, Inc. (COIN): Free Stock Analysis Report Robinhood Markets, Inc. (HOOD): Free Stock Analysis Report Block, Inc. (XYZ): Free Stock Analysis Report
Telegraph
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Britain is kinkier in bed than you think
Many moons ago, when I was editor of Erotic Review, my S&M columnist – a former BBC children's TV presenter – told me her idea of nirvana was to don fetish gear and get soundly thrashed. I said, 'Forget the pain, I'm all about the pleasure.' She chided me: 'You're so vanilla!' I remain an unrepentant sybarite, so I approached curator Anastasiia Fedorova's book Second Skin: Inside the Worlds of Fetish, Kink and Deviant Desire, about the British fetish scene, with the curiosity of a dungeon tourist. There's plenty of perverse pastimes to wrap your head around here: leather, latex, fetish clubs, not to mention the key roles of dominatrix and gimp (mute sub in identity-obscuring mask). Fedorova traces her own inclination for the fetish scene to her Russian upbringing during the 1990s, when fake designer garments started to flood the black market. The badly-embroidered Medusa head on her mother's knock-off Versace trousers became symbolic of the lust for a Western life: 'In its own way my childhood provided me with an intense crash course on capitalism and its power to elevate quotidian consumer objects into fetishes.' Even so, Fedorova didn't start to explore the fetish realm until the start of lockdown in London (where she's now based). Starved of human touch, she became fascinated by kinksters, unable to go out, posting social-media photos of themselves wearing latex garments at home: 'People of all genders, from all corners of the world, showed off limbs transformed by glossy rubber skins on their sofas and beds.' She relished the element of performance in all this; the taboo element appealed to her too, as a queer-identifying woman – a verboten identity in Putin's Russia. As Fedorova points out, such metamorphoses don't come cheap. Her first catsuit sets her back £257 (the Matrix model, from London-based Libidex), and she road-tests it at an anonymous hotel. She excels at sensual writing: 'We went slowly: two latex-clad cyborgian beings moving around one another in a careful choreography… I thought of all the blood and electricity running through his body under the latex.' Second Skin interweaves vivid personal experience and interviews with fascinating historical research. Few will be surprised to learn that the UK's fetish culture finds its roots in Charles Macintosh's 1823 patent for his latex and cloth raincoat, leading to an early fetish known as 'macking' – hence the expression 'dirty mac'. It was only much later that a London-based Mackintosh Society, founded in 1967 by Leon Chead, became 'one of the world's first fetish organisations'. I'm taking this snippet on trust: Google, for instance, seems to have no record of Chead. But I'd imagine that much of the material Fedorova examined at the UK Leather and Fetish Archive, in London's Bishopsgate, isn't readily available online, and with good reason. The kink scene has long provoked close interest from the police. Fedorova reminds us of Operation Spanner, which saw 16 gay men prosecuted in the 1980s for private, consensual sadomasochistic acts, on the grounds that the acts involved 'actual bodily harm'. I was also glad to be reminded of John Sutcliffe, who trained as an aircraft engineer and served in the RAF while harbouring a fetish for rubber and leather. In 1957 he set up Atomage in Hampstead, a company manufacturing rubber and leather motorcycle gear 'for lady pillion riders'. He was responsible for Marianne Faithfull 's leather catsuit in the 1968 film The Girl on a Motorcycle. He went on to set up Atomage magazine in 1972, publishing photos of his customers posing in middle-class homes and 'manicured' gardens, dressed head-to-toe in bondage gear. This very British incarnation of private perversity came to an end in 1982 when Sutcliffe published Jim Dickson's erotic novel The Story of Gerda. He was prosecuted for obscenity; his back stock of magazines and printing plates were destroyed. He died not long afterwards. For all these historical diversions, the balance of Fedorova's book tilts in favour of today's fetish realm, with particular reference to LGBTQ+ practitioners and other marginalised communities. 'Rubber,' she writes, 'allows one to channel a creature devoid of gender or social attributes.' Maybe: but latex also allows some fetishists to emphasise breasts, bottoms and genitals to cartoonish proportions. There's rather too much exposition of far-from-groundbreaking contemporary art for this reader's taste, and some lines can read like captions in a Hoxton gallery patronised only by Gen Y and Z: 'Pleasure is key to traversing that space between language and sensation, between identity and change.' I also enjoyed: 'One must resist idealising a homogenous vision of the leather community.' Must one? But then people in their 20s and 30s are surely the intended audience. Fedorova's cultural references tend to be recent: the TV series Industry, fashionistas such as Isamaya Ffrench, Instagram influencers such as dominatrix Eva Oh. Everyone's pronouns seem to be 'them/they', and the author occasionally ties herself in moral knots, as when she discusses Tom O Finland's more 'problematic' illustrations from the 1950s and '60s – so famous his homoerotic images appeared on a set of Finnish stamps in 2014 – which frequently fetishise police and military uniform. I may not be the reader Fedorova envisioned, being 57 and possessed of the desire to laugh at life's absurdity – sex included. Often, for us in Britain, life is a comedy, but for Russians, all too understandably, it's a tragedy: and Fedorova convincingly makes the link between her own heritage, a lifelong struggle with anxiety and gradual immersion in the fetish world. The following passage, where the author disrobes from her catsuit, is almost unbearably moving: '[Latex] helps you to transcend the restlessness and sadness which comes with having flesh, blood and skin. Sometimes, after the pressure is released and the catsuit is at your feet in a sweaty pile, it feels like grief.' That, I could imagine.
Buzz Feed
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Iconic LGBTQ+ Pop Culture That Shaped A Generation
Let's be real—most of us didn't learn about queerness from school. We learnt it from pop stars in glitter, movies that snuck in a gay subplot, and YouTube interviews that made people feel seen. Here's a list of the moments that actually taught the world what it means to be queer, confident, and unapologetic. 1. When Schitt's Creek gave us a queer relationship without any trauma plotline David and Patrick's love story healed something in us. It was soft, cheesy, and finally happy. No tragic ending, no secret affairs, just two men falling in love over homemade knishes and awkward serenades. And let's not forget the wine scene—where David explained his sexuality using wine labels, not labels-labels. Subtle. Brilliant. Unforgettable. 2. When Rihanna said 'who's going to stop me?' in that Loud album era, and we believed her Every queer person has a Rihanna lyric that got them through a bad day. Rude Boy. S&M. Diamonds. It wasn't just music. It was survival. She taught people confidence before they even knew they needed it. 3. When Lady Gaga said 'born this way' and we played it on loop in our Nokia XpressMusic The LGBTQ+ anthem that wasn't just a bop, it was a cultural reset. Gaga gave us church, glitter, and identity. Schools didn't give us any of that. 4. Sushant Divgikar taking over Indian reality TV (and our hearts) Whether it was Bigg Boss or Sa Re Ga Ma Pa, Sushant—and later, Rani KoHEnur—gave India one of its first openly queer entertainers in the mainstream. They didn't just bring vocals, they brought visibility, sass, and sequins. I didn't even know genderfluidity could be that powerful until Rani walked in heels and sang in three octaves. 5. Fashion reality TV teaching us about 'chosen family' before we knew what that meant Project Runway. ANTM. RuPaul's Drag Race. They gave us fashion, drama, and a peek into queer friendships that looked nothing like the friend circles from school. No one taught me confidence like Miss Tyra yelling, "WE WERE ALL ROOTING FOR YOU." 6. That Gauri Khan-produced scene in Kal Ho Naa Ho that was queerer than expected When Kanta Ben kept fainting at the idea of Shah Rukh and Saif's 'relationship,' desi queers everywhere were like 'wait… this is kinda validating?' Sure it was played for laughs, but this was the first time many of us even saw queerness referenced at all in a Bollywood blockbuster. 7. Karan Johar's autobiography admitting what Bollywood wouldn't While he never named it outright, An Unsuitable Boy was the first time a big Bollywood director pulled back the curtain on his private life, in his own words. Karan talked about being bullied in school, growing up feeling 'different,' and how people constantly speculated about his sexuality. He stopped short of using labels, but the subtext was clear. He also called out how homophobia runs deep in the industry and how Bollywood isn't a safe space for queer folks. Queer coding? No babe, this was queer decoding. 8. The Dostana closet scene that caused gay panic among us for the first time When John and Abhishek pretended to be a couple, we laughed. But that closet scene? That was the gay panic we hadn't even processed yet. 9. When Troye Sivan dropped Bloom and the queer internet exploded He was soft. He was openly gay. He was singing about it. And suddenly, Tumblr was full of flower gifs and metaphors. 10. Ayushmann Khurrana playing a gay man in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan Say what you will about it being commercial, but for many families, this was the first time they even acknowledged the idea of gay love, without changing the channel. It wasn't perfect, but it opened living room conversations. 11. When Sex Education gave us queer teens with real emotions, not just tragedy tropes From Eric strutting in bold prints to Cal navigating identity on their own terms, Sex Education gave us queer characters who felt real, not written in just for drama. But it was Adam's arc that really stood out: a bully figuring himself out, fumbling through feelings, and learning to choose honesty over shame. It wasn't perfect. And that's exactly why it worked. Finally, queer teens with feelings, not just plot devices. 12. Four More Shots Please! and Umang's coming out scene Say what you will about the show's dialogue, but when Umang came out to her conservative Punjabi family, it struck a nerve, because that living room tension felt way too real. Desi bisexual panic? Finally televised. 13. The time Manvendra Singh Gohil came out as gay royalty on Oprah India's first openly gay prince spoke his truth on Oprah. The level of global impact? Unmatched. The message? Queerness exists everywhere—even in palaces. 14. Kalki Koechlin in Margarita with a Straw—queer, disabled, brown and real A bisexual woman with cerebral palsy figuring out her identity? This film dared to exist outside the binary, and for once, gave a story that felt new, nuanced, and needed. This movie taught us that queerness doesn't look one way, and that's the point. 15. Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga saying the word 'lesbian' out loud in a Bollywood movie It didn't go viral, but it mattered. Sonam Kapoor played a quiet, closeted queer character with actual dignity, and that's a rarity. Sometimes soft, awkward representation is still representation. 16. Kapoor & Sons gave us a gay character who wasn't the punchline Fawad Khan playing a closeted gay man in a mainstream Bollywood family drama? That was bold. No rainbow flags, no grand speeches, just quiet heartbreak, buried identity, and the weight of trying to 'keep it together.' 17. Aligarh made us sit with the silence Based on the real-life story of Professor Siras, Aligarh wasn't loud or flashy; it was quiet, heartbreaking, and brutally honest. Manoj Bajpayee's performance showed us what it meant to be outed, shamed, and erased, just for existing. 18. When Made in Heaven gave us Karan's storyline and didn't hold back Arjun Mathur's character being unapologetically gay in an Indian OTT show? Huge. The second season going deeper into queer pain, protest, and healing? Even bigger. It wasn't just a subplot—it was a full, raw, queer arc. Still waiting on a school syllabus that mentions Section 377, drag history, or chosen families? Same. Until then, we'll be right here, replaying our queer pop culture curriculum and rewriting the rules.
