Napster was apparently worth millions of dollars, as it was bought in 2025. Find out who owns the company now.
Does Napster still exist after its 2001 falling out? Yes, and the company — which was re-branded to a music streaming service — was bought in 2025 for millions of dollars. The huge pay day for the platform came two decades after it faced legal troubles over its controversial music-sharing strategy, with co-developers Sean Parker and Shawn Fanning being accused of copyright infringement. So, who owns Napster now?
Below, go behind Napster’s ownership and learn about its history, revenue and more.
Parker and Fanning co-founded Napster and launched the platform in 1999. Songs shared through the platform were frequently encoded in MP3. By 2001, Napster faced legal issues over copyright infringement allegations, and it lost multiple lawsuits before filing for bankruptcy in 2002.
The Facebook-focused film The Social Network briefly mentions Parker’s financial troubles over Napster’s downfall. Actor Justin Timberlake played the role of Parker.
