Twenty Thousand Hertz cover image

Twenty Thousand Hertz

Napster: How free music broke the industry

Sep 30, 2020
Explore the rise and fall of Napster, its impact on the music industry, legal battles with record labels, and the transformation of the music consumption landscape. Discover how Napster revolutionized music distribution, challenged industry norms, and paved the way for modern streaming services.
42:13

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Napster revolutionized music sharing online, sparking industry backlash and legal battles.
  • Napster's closure paved the way for digital streaming services, reshaping music consumption habits.

Deep dives

The Rise and Impact of Napster

Napster emerged as a revolutionary platform for music sharing in the late 1990s, reshaping how people accessed and consumed music online. Created by Sean Fanning, Napster enabled users to exchange MP3 files of their CD collections globally, sparking a music revolution. Despite initial excitement, Napster faced significant backlash from the music industry as it threatened established revenue streams and copyright laws.

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