Napster: history, revenue, and new owner in 2025
26 march 2025 в 00:13
Is Napster still around after its fall in 2001? Yes, and the company, which was renamed as a music streaming service, was bought in 2025 for millions of dollars. A huge win for the platform came two decades later, after facing legal problems due to its controversial music sharing strategy, with co-developers Sean Parker and Shawn Fanning being accused of copyright infringement. So who owns Napster now?
Below you will learn about the owners of Napster and find out about its history, revenues, and much more.
Parker and Fanning founded Napster and launched the platform in 1999. Songs distributed through the platform were often encoded in MP3. By 2001, Napster faced legal problems due to copyright infringement allegations, and it lost several lawsuits before filing for bankruptcy in 2002.
The movie about Facebook, «The Social Network», - briefly mentions Parker’s financial problems due to Napster’s collapse. Actor Justin Timberlake played the role of Parker.
After bankruptcy in 2002, Napster was eventually acquired by Roxio at auction. The platform was renamed Napster 2.0. In 2008, Best Buy acquired Napster for over $ 120 million.
In 2020, Napster was sold to MelodyVR. Two years later, it was sold again to Hivemind and Algorand.
In March 2025, the company Infinite Reality acquired Napster for $ 207 million.
Infinite Reality, an e-commerce and digital media company, acquired Napster in March 2025. According to the company’s press release, Infinite Reality noted that the purchase of Napster will help pave the way for a «bright future for artists, fans, and the entire music industry».
«This strategic move aligns with Infinite Reality’s vision to lead the shift in the internet industry from flat 2D clickable web to 3D conversational — providing all creators with modern tools for better interaction, monetization, and audience measurement», - said John Akunto, co-founder and CEO of Infinite Reality, according to the press release. «I firmly believe that the relationship between artist and fan is evolving, with fans craving hyper-personalized, intimate access to their favorite artists, while artists seek innovative ways to deepen connections with fans and access new sources of revenue. We are creating the perfect music platform where artists can thrive in the next wave of digital development».
John Vlassopoulos, CEO of Napster, explained that Infinite Reality plans to do with the music streaming service.
«Imagine entering a virtual space to watch an exclusive show with friends, interact with your favorite artist in their own virtual space when they release their new single, and have the ability to directly purchase their exclusive digital and physical merch», - said Vlassopoulos. «With Infinite Reality’s expertise in immersive 3D technology, we will transform Napster into a next-generation platform where fans don’t just listen to music alone — they experience music in entirely new ways. This is not just a new chapter for Napster, it is the beginning of a more interactive and social musical experience for the next era of the internet»
Below you will learn about the owners of Napster and find out about its history, revenues, and much more.
Parker and Fanning founded Napster and launched the platform in 1999. Songs distributed through the platform were often encoded in MP3. By 2001, Napster faced legal problems due to copyright infringement allegations, and it lost several lawsuits before filing for bankruptcy in 2002.
The movie about Facebook, «The Social Network», - briefly mentions Parker’s financial problems due to Napster’s collapse. Actor Justin Timberlake played the role of Parker.
After bankruptcy in 2002, Napster was eventually acquired by Roxio at auction. The platform was renamed Napster 2.0. In 2008, Best Buy acquired Napster for over $ 120 million.
In 2020, Napster was sold to MelodyVR. Two years later, it was sold again to Hivemind and Algorand.
In March 2025, the company Infinite Reality acquired Napster for $ 207 million.
Infinite Reality, an e-commerce and digital media company, acquired Napster in March 2025. According to the company’s press release, Infinite Reality noted that the purchase of Napster will help pave the way for a «bright future for artists, fans, and the entire music industry».
«This strategic move aligns with Infinite Reality’s vision to lead the shift in the internet industry from flat 2D clickable web to 3D conversational — providing all creators with modern tools for better interaction, monetization, and audience measurement», - said John Akunto, co-founder and CEO of Infinite Reality, according to the press release. «I firmly believe that the relationship between artist and fan is evolving, with fans craving hyper-personalized, intimate access to their favorite artists, while artists seek innovative ways to deepen connections with fans and access new sources of revenue. We are creating the perfect music platform where artists can thrive in the next wave of digital development».
John Vlassopoulos, CEO of Napster, explained that Infinite Reality plans to do with the music streaming service.
«Imagine entering a virtual space to watch an exclusive show with friends, interact with your favorite artist in their own virtual space when they release their new single, and have the ability to directly purchase their exclusive digital and physical merch», - said Vlassopoulos. «With Infinite Reality’s expertise in immersive 3D technology, we will transform Napster into a next-generation platform where fans don’t just listen to music alone — they experience music in entirely new ways. This is not just a new chapter for Napster, it is the beginning of a more interactive and social musical experience for the next era of the internet»
© Smirnova Olga
