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Library/App & software/Napster
Grade B22 sourcesHIS-01446

Napster

App & software · 1999 · Notable

56Editable slideCertificate

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

Napster
Wikipedia (non-free, fair use)
Downloaded - Alex Winter
Alex Winter
Public-domain chart of Napster application users, drawn by Rpresser from Media Metrix releases.
Rpresser / Wikimedia Commons

Spread Score

How it works
Reach81ContagionNo data yetBreadth40Velocity28LongevityNo data yet56

Numbers

Monthly home users across 14 countries, February peak
26.4M
As of Feb 28, 2001 · Open web · WIRED
Observed peak date
Feb 2001
Jun 1999 to Feb 2001
Platforms
4
Started on Open web
Origin
Mixed
Technology

Mechanics

  • Maker origin
  • Platform jump
  • Press loopPrimary
  • Controversy
  • Dupe economy

How it spread

Trace the origin

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.

Observed peak within the documented measurement window; not an all-time maximum. Dates use the stated precision; chart positions are date anchors.

Weekly Napster.com unique visitors, US homes2001-01-07: 4,339,0002001-01-14: 4,190,0002001-01-21: 4,540,0002001-01-28: 4,742,0002001-02-04: 4,913,0002001-02-11: 5,197,0002001-02-18: 6,443,0002001-02-25: 6,047,000Dec ’98Sep ’99Feb ’00MayOctMar ’01AugJul ’02Mar ’04May ’07Jul ’10May ’13Observed peakOpen webPressRetailTV
Open webPressRetailTV

13 more events on this chart

Join free to see them

Weekly Napster.com unique visitors, US homes: 8 dated figures from Nielsen//NetRatings via Scoop, each checked against the source. Measured at the time, not estimated.

Timeline (16)

  1. June 1999

    Shawn Fanning / Napster seed · Jun 1999

    Napster launched its MP3 file-sharing service in June.[1]

    Open the first post ↗

  2. November 1999

    WIRED press · Nov 1 ’99

    WIRED covered Napster's public beta, which combined MP3 sharing, chat and a music player.[2]

  3. Slashdot commenters / gnap developer platform jump · Nov 30 ’99

    Slashdot readers debated Napster's objection to the open-source gnap client.[3]

  1. backlash · Dec 7 ’99

  2. backlash · Feb 17 ’00

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Why it worked

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Origin
Mixed
Sector
Technology
Region
US
Monthly home users across 14 countries, February peak
26.4M
As of Feb 28, 2001 · Open web · WIRED
Evidence
Grade B

Spread the same way

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How the next thing spread, the week it does.