Napster, the original peer-to-peer music sharing service, is
back. Re-launched yesterday, the best-known brand in music
downloading is now an authorised music service. But that means it's
no longer free, and it's no longer a peer-to-peer service.
In fact, the name and the popular cat-with-headphones logo are
almost all that remain of Shawn Fanning's original, shut down in
July 2001 under the financial pressure of continuing legal
battles.
The Napster brand is now owned by Roxio, best known for its
CD-burning software. Napster.com today offers downloads from a bank
of 500,000 tracks for 99 cents each, or $9.95 per album, but
licensing conditions limit the service to US users only.
Licensed on-line music distribution is enjoying success for the
first time, lead by Apple's iTunes Music Store which sold one
million downloads in its first week.
Napster will face tough competition from Apple and other
contenders such as RealNetwork's Rhapsody service. But Chris Gorog,
Chairman and CEO of Roxio, is unconcerned.
"We have created the most exciting and comprehensive music
experience in the world," he said. "Napster 2.0 is extremely
easy-to-use and music fans will find endless enjoyment as they
search for, discover and share music."
"It's really great," said Shawn Fanning in his brief endorsement
of Roxio's new service.
