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Napster sold to tech startup for $207M

On Tuesday, Infinite Reality, a tech startup, acquired Napster for $207 million, marking the latest chapter for the music streamer.
Napster, originally launched in 1999 by Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker as a pioneering peer-to-peer file-sharing service, faced lawsuits from the record industry, including Metallica, over copyright violations, ultimately leading to its bankruptcy and acquisition by Rhapsody in 2011, who relaunched it as a subscription service.
Infinite Reality aims to transform Napster into a social music platform featuring virtual 3D spaces where artists and fans can connect, attend virtual concerts, and sell digital and physical merchandise, offering artists enhanced analytics to understand user behavior and better monetize their work.
According to Infinite Reality's Chief Business Officer Amish Shah, "We can think of no better use case for our technology than putting it in the hands of music artists who are constantly pushing the boundaries of whats possible," while Napster CEO Jon Vlassopulos stated, "It's time to reimagine what's possible" for music streaming.
Having changed hands three times in the last five years and following a $800 million spending spree on acquisitions in 2024, Infinite Reality's acquisition of Napster signals a move towards creating a more interactive and immersive social music experience, leveraging its expertise in 3D technology and recent acquisitions like Obsess to disrupt the current music streaming landscape.

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Mashable

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Napster was just acquired for $207 million by a 3D tech company

Music streaming service Napster was just acquired for $207 million by a virtual reality company.

15 hours ago·United States

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Hollywood Life

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Who Owns Napster? The Company’s Current Ownership

Napster was bought out for a huge chunk of money in March 2025. Learn about the company's history, ownership and revenue here.

16 hours ago·Los Angeles, United States

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New Orleans CityBusiness

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Napster sold to tech commerce company for $207M

A brand that was notoriously connected to music piracy before reemerging as a subscription music service has been sold to Infinite Reality for $207 million. The tech startup announced Tuesday it had bought Napster in hopes of transforming the streaming service into a social music platform where artists can connect with fans and better monetize off their work. “The internet has evolved from desktop to mobile, from mobile to social, and now we are…

16 hours ago

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The Hill

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Napster sold to tech startup for $207M

Napster was sold to a tech start-up Infinite Reality for $207 million, the digital media company announced Tuesday, as it looks to provide creators an opportunity to better engage with their audiences and monetize their work. Napster CEO Jon Vlassopulos, who will continue in his current role and also take “on a broader role” for…

17 hours ago·Washington, United States

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