In June of 1999, with more people gaining access to the internet, Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker launched Napster, a digital file sharing platform focused on sharing music and audio files. Napster created a central database of MP3 files where users can share and download files. For the first time, music was not reliant on distribution through physical means and became easily available through the internet. However, Napster’s file sharing has also invited illegal sharing of copyrighted and unreleased music. Napster may either revolutionize the music industry forever, or be crushed by looming legal action from artists.

Topic one: Copyright and Napster

Napster has been out for a few months and while many have enjoyed sharing music and other audio across the platform, the platform has been met with controversy. Copyrighted music has been distributed through the platform without proper licensing. Recently, Metallica’s unreleased song “I Disappear” and Madonna’s unreleased single “Music” have also appeared, drawing attention from two of the largest artists in the world. Napster executives and artists need to resolve this issue and devise a way to resolve the issues of copyright infringement. If not, Napster may not be able to survive long with increased legal pressures.

topic two: The Music Industry in the Age of the Internet

While the music industry still heavily relies on physical sales and radio for distribution, the internet may be a new frontier for the music industry. Napster’s ability to share music files may be the perfect platform for both up and coming and established artists to share their music and reach wide audiences. Should they find a way to effectively do so, Napster may revolutionize the music industry through streaming rather than physical sales.