# Napster

> Napster reached 26.4 million monthly home users in an international research panel.

- Owner: Napster Inc.; Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker
- Kind: App & software
- Sector: Technology
- Seed date: Jun 1999
- Observed peak date: Feb 2001
- Date basis: Observed peak within the documented measurement window; not an all-time maximum. Dates use the stated precision; chart positions are date anchors.
- Spread Score: 56 (Notable, provisional), v1.3
- Mechanics: Maker origin, Platform jump, Press loop, Controversy, Dupe economy

## Summary

Napster launched in June 1999 and spread through music sharing, campus networks and press. Monthly home usage peaked in February 2001. Transfers fell in March, the service went offline in July, and bankruptcy ended in an asset sale.

## Timeline

- Jun 1999 — Shawn Fanning / Napster (Open web) — Napster launched its MP3 file-sharing service in June.
- 1999-11-01 — WIRED (Press) — WIRED covered Napster's public beta, which combined MP3 sharing, chat and a music player.
- 1999-11-30 — Slashdot commenters / gnap developer (Open web) — Slashdot readers debated Napster's objection to the open-source gnap client.

The full timeline, metrics and sources are on the case page, or via the Pro API (https://howitspread.com/developers).

Canonical URL: https://howitspread.com/cases/napster

Cite as: How It Spread (2026). “Napster.” Case HIS-01446. Spread Score v1.3: 56/100. Updated 2026-10-23. https://howitspread.com/id/HIS-01446