Napster (pay service)
Napster is a trademark of the U.S. listed company Rhapsody International, Inc.. 's Name and logo come from the well-known peer -to-peer music sharing platform Napster, which was closed in July 2001 after legal disputes. Rhapsody International offers in the U.S., Canada, UK and Germany to an online music service that includes subscription offers. In the UK and Germany the service under the brand name Napster is offered. In Germany Napster competes with Simfy, Spotify, Music Load, and others. Interfaces to the music flatrate Napster are integrated into TV and audio systems. These services, such as via Sonos or Logitech, are considered technically immature and prone to failure.
History
End of October 2000 concluded a cooperation agreement with Napster, Bertelsmann eCommerce Group. Objective of the collaboration was to build a fee-based subscription system in the same year, which was to expel the particular title of the Bertelsmann Music Group ( BMG) under contract artist while ensuring royalty payments digitally. In this context, BMG withdrew its lawsuit against Napster back.
AOL Time Warner, Bertelsmann, EMI Group, and RealNetworks then founded a new online platform for music sales on the Internet. The platform " MusicNet " should grant licenses to other companies selling music under their own brand names online to subscribers. In June, MusicNet and Napster concluded a cooperation agreement, which should offer in their planned pay service the music exchange songs on the record company Warner Music (AOL Time Warner ), BMG Entertainment and EMI Group.
End of October 2001 joined the Bertelsmann eCommerce Group ( BeCG ) with the music exchange a licensing and distribution agreement pursuant to which the fused to BeMusicDivison music distribution companies in the group should use the new version of the Napster platform for their online activities from early 2002. These included the businesses of BMG Direct, CDnow and MyPlay in eCommerce, subscriptions services and music clubs. Should be used features such as instant messaging, so-called music hot lists, chat, search, playlists, and access to music libraries. In peer-to -peer functions for the direct exchange among customers BeMusic waived, however. Napster itself should be reactivated with the new sales technique after completion of negotiations with the labels on music licenses for planned commercial subscription offer.
In January 2002, Napster launched the trial operation of its new services: 20,000 users could access a music catalog of 110,000 tracks from the offer of several smaller labels. In addition, the new software next MP3 now supports the proprietary NAP format. The MP3 exchange remained as possible, but filtered Napster copyrighted songs. Difficult than expected, the negotiations with the "Major Five", the largest record labels featured, represents that initially refused to license music differently than on a per- song basis.
In early May of the same year Napster should be sold at 100 % of the Bertelsmann Group. The takeover attempt failed initially but on Napster Supervisory Board, who refused the offer to buy a majority. Then went back to the used by Napster Bertelsmann CEO Konrad Hilbers, founder Shawn Fanning, and four other top executives in protest against the decision of the Supervisory Board. As part of the acquisition plan Napster undertook to file for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. bankruptcy laws. This also suits the music industry became obsolete against Napster because no funds for the repayment of loans were more available. In early September the failed takeover plans: A bankruptcy judge denied the purchase of music exchange by the media group from.
A court in the U.S. state of Maryland granted to the Company under the bankruptcy law, one more time for a reorganization. The end of November finally approved a U.S. bankruptcy court to sell the Internet music exchange to the American software company Roxio Inc., which specializes in software for burning CDs. Roxio received as part of the transaction, the technology patents, but took no Napster liabilities and trailing litigation.
In November 2002, the software maker Roxio bought the brand name and the patents of bankrupt Napster music exchange. In May 2003, the company then acquired the online music service Press Play to start on this basis, a new legal online music service. This should allow access to music both through subscriptions and by buying individual tracks or music album.
On 9 October 2003, the tests began with the release of a beta version, and on 29 October, the service went by the name "Napster 2.0" to control mode on, but initially only in the United States. On 20 May 2004 the UK and a few days later was followed, on 26 May, Canada. On August 9, 2004 Roxio announced the sale of its department known software for consumers, which was the core business until the takeover by Press Play. The sale of Sonic Solutions for $ 80 million dollars was completed on 17 December 2004. Roxio named thereupon in Napster, Inc. to and focused from now on exclusively on the online music business.
On 9 December 2005 Napster made its service even accessible to customers in Germany. In the fall of 2008, the U.S. electronics retailer Best Buy acquired the music service.
Napster used today not a peer-to -peer system, and has in addition to the name and logo practically nothing in common with the former Napster music exchange.
In October 2011, Napster was purchased by competitors Rhapsody. In January 2013, the acquisition of the European operations was completed. The service will continue in the UK and Germany under the brand name Napster.
Technical implementation
Provision
The use of the service can be either web based or via a special Napster software. For mobile use apps for Apple iOS and Android - based devices are available.
File format / sound quality
Tracks will be stored offline usually with 192 kbps AAC. The audio streaming over the software and the web service is generally carried out at 128 kbps MP3, via the apps regularly with 192 kbps AAC.
Napster Germany
Napster has license agreements with all major music companies as well as hundreds of independent record labels. According to the company, the offer in Germany more than 18 million music tracks and thousands of audiobooks. Users of the Napster Mobile can use the service via mobile Apple iOS and Android devices as well as multi-room devices from different manufacturers.
Napster USA / UK / Canada
The offers international not differ significantly. Due to the separate for each country agreements with the rights holders of the music but the selection varies. For licensing reasons, the use of the service only in the country is possible, in which it is offered.
Napster Fanpreis
2011, the Napster Fanpreis, an Internet public award, launched. Napster will be supported by online Boulevard Magazine Celebrity Flash, the youth magazine voyeur - the young magazine and of the company DSA youngstar ( German school marketing agency ). The prize is awarded to bands and solo artists from the German-speaking countries, which could place a single or an album in the top 100 of the German charts in the course of a year. The first winners of the first 8 September 2011 awarded at the Berlin Popkomm price are warhorses ( band) and Sarah Engels (individual artists). The winner in 2012 went Daniele Negroni (single artist), second -placed at Germany sucht den Superstar, and the group Culcha Candela ( band ) out.