Does Napster nonetheless exist after its 2001 falling out? Yes, and the corporate — which was re-branded to a music streaming service — was purchased in 2025 for thousands and thousands of {dollars}. The large pay day for the platform got here 20 years after it confronted authorized troubles over its controversial music-sharing technique, with co-developers Sean Parker and Shawn Fanning being accused of copyright infringement. So, who owns Napster now?
Below, go behind Napster’s possession and find out about its historical past, income and extra.
Who Invented Napster?
Parker and Fanning co-founded Napster and launched the platform in 1999. Songs shared by means of the platform have been steadily encoded in MP3. By 2001, Napster confronted authorized points over copyright infringement allegations, and it misplaced a number of lawsuits earlier than submitting for chapter in 2002.
The Facebook-focused movie The Social Network briefly mentions Parker’s monetary troubles over Napster’s downfall. Actor Justin Timberlake performed the function of Parker.
So Napster continues to be related…ish pic.twitter.com/AGfJUxzFhQ
— Morning Brew ☕️ (@MorningBrew) March 25, 2025
How Much Is Napster Worth?
After submitting for chapter in 2002, Napster was ultimately acquired by Roxio in an public sale. The platform was re-branded as Napster 2.0. In 2008, Best Buy bought Napster for greater than $120 million.
In 2020, Napster was offered to MelodyVR. Two years later, it was offered once more to Hivemind and Algorand.
Infinite Reality bought Napster for $207 million in March 2025.
Who Owns Napster Now?
Infinite Reality, an e-commerce and digital media firm, acquired Napster in March 2025. According to a press launched from the corporate, Infinite Reality famous that purchasing Napster will assist pave “a path to a brighter future for artists, fans, and the music industry at large.”
“This strategic move aligns with Infinite Reality’s vision to lead an internet industry shift from a flat 2D clickable web to a 3D conversational one — giving all creators modern tools to better engage, monetize, and measure their audiences,” John Acunto, co-Founder and CEO of Infinite Reality, stated, per the press launch. “I firmly believe that the artist-fan relationship is evolving, with fans craving hyper-personalized, intimate access to their favorite artists, while artists are searching for innovative ways to deepen connections with fans, and access new streams of revenue. We’re creating the ultimate music platform where artists can thrive in the next wave of digital disruption.”
Jon Vlassopulos, CEO of Napster, elaborated what Infinite Reality is planning on doing with the music streaming service.
“Imagine stepping into a virtual venue to watch an exclusive show with friends, chat with your favorite artist in their own virtual hangout as they drop their new single, and be able to directly buy their exclusive digital and physical merch,” Vlassopulos stated. ‘With Infinite Reality’s experience in immersive 3D expertise, we’ll remodel Napster right into a next-generation platform the place followers don’t simply pay attention on their very own—they expertise music in solely new methods. This isn’t only a new chapter for Napster, it’s the start of a extra interactive and social music expertise for the subsequent period of the web.”