THE DIGITAL CHANNELS FOR THE ED SULLIVAN SHOW, SPANNING YOUTUBE, APPLE MUSIC AND FACEBOOK, HAVE SURPASSED ONE BILLION VIEWS AND 500K YOUTUBE SUBSCRIBERS

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Nov. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the digital channels of The Ed Sullivan Show have surpassed one billion total views across all channels (including YouTube, Apple Music and Facebook) in tandem with reaching the 500K YouTube subscribers milestone. The long-running variety show expanded its reach exponentially via a global digital rights agreement between UMe and SOFA Entertainment Inc. with more than 250 million YouTube views since June 2020.  The library encompasses the show's historic 23-year primetime run on CBS.  Scores of rarities were made available digitally for the first-time including iconic entertainers and influential figures from just about every category of cultural relevance, including music, comedy, sports, film, dance, opera and Broadway.

Across YouTube/Apple Music/Facebook, the most-viewed clips include The Jackson 5's "I Want You Back" (58.5M streams), Elvis Presley's "Hound Dog" (53.8M streams) and "Don't Be Cruel" (47.6M streams), Ike & Tina Turner's "Proud Mary" (47.5M streams), The Temptations' "Get Ready/Stop! In The Name of Love/My Guy" (34.8M streams), Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" (27M streams), Janis Joplin's "Maybe" (25.4M streams), and The Mamas & The Papas' "Words Of Love" (20.7M streams), "California Dreamin'" (17.8M streams), and "Creeque Alley" (16M streams).

"UMe and SOFA Entertainment's goal was to bring the incredible performances from The Ed Sullivan Show to the streaming era and to new audiences," comments Bruce Resnikoff, UMe President & CEO. "We are extremely proud to have reached these milestones as a result of our collaboration and we're excited about the future."

"Ed Sullivan was responsible for so many pivotal music and culturally significant television moments. These milestones underscore the overwhelming positive response we have seen as fans have embraced streaming these amazing performances and revitalized the brand," adds Josh Solt, CEO of SOFA Entertainment.

"Our decades-long relationship with UMe has been crucial to successfully making these historic and memorable segments available for people around the world to enjoy," adds Andrew Solt, Founder of SOFA Entertainment.

The official YouTube channel of The Ed Sullivan Show.

About The Ed Sullivan Show 
The Ed Sullivan Show is the most popular primetime variety show in American history. For nearly a quarter century, Ed Sullivan hosted the greatest array of talent on television, including The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley and Motown artists such as The Supremes, The Temptations and The Jackson 5. Every Sunday night at 8pm on CBS from 1948-1971, The Ed Sullivan Show showcased a wide variety of pop culture from the worlds of music, comedy, novelty and much more. The library of 1,000 hours includes over 10,000 performances.

About SOFA Entertainment 
In 1990, Andrew Solt founded SOFA Entertainment Inc. and acquired The Ed Sullivan Show from the Sullivan family. In 2020 Josh Solt left Google to lead SOFA as CEO of the company. The Ed Sullivan Show is the most revered variety show in American television history. SOFA Entertainment is the copyright holder of the original Ed Sullivan programs and over 150 hours of newly created programming.

About UMe 
Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) is the global catalog and special markets division of Universal Music Group (UMG).  Working closely in concert with UMG's record labels, territories and operating companies, UMe provides a frontline approach to catalog management, an emphasis on strategic marketing initiatives and creating opportunities in new technologies.

SOURCE Universal Music Enterprises