> ## Content Index
> Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.hypebot.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further.

# 15 Years Ago Yesterday The Music Industry Changed Forever
- URL: https://www.hypebot.com/15-years-ago-yesterday-the-music-industry-changed-forever/
- Published: 2014-06-02T09:59:42.000Z
- Updated: 2014-06-02T09:59:42.000Z
- Description: Napster launched 15 years ago yesterday on June 1, 1999. Love it or hate it, Napster changed the music industry and how music is consumed, forever. Napster was co-founded by Shawn. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2014/06/15-years-ago-yesterday-the-music-industry-changed-forever.htm
- Author: Bruce Houghton
- Tags: Music Business, Music Tech, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 10:38

[![image from cdn4.pitchfork.com](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e201a3fd1585e1970b-115wi "image from cdn4.pitchfork.com")](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e201a3fd1585e1970b-popup?ref=hypebot.com)

Napster launched 15 years ago yesterday on June 1, 1999\. Love it or hate it, Napster changed the music industry and how music is consumed, forever. Napster was co-founded by Shawn Fanning, John Fanning, and Sean Parker. Envisioned as a peer-to-peer file sharing service, it operated between June '99 and July '01.

For those too young to remember, Napster allowed music fans to easily share their MP3s with others. Although the original service was shut down by the courts, the Napster brand survives as part of Rhapsody after the company's assets were liquidated through bankruptcy proceedings.  

Related articles

[![](http://i.zemanta.com/178061098_80_80.jpg)](https://www.hypebot.com/lets-recover-the-lost-half-decade-of-music-recorded-after-napster/)[Let's Recover The Lost Half Decade Of Music Recorded After Napster \[ANDREW DUBBER\]](https://www.hypebot.com/lets-recover-the-lost-half-decade-of-music-recorded-after-napster/)

[![](http://i.zemanta.com/81962456_80_80.jpg)](https://www.hypebot.com/the-black-keys-call-napster-spotifys-sean-parker-asshole-who-stole-2-billion-from-artists/)[The Black Keys Call Napster, Spotify's Sean Parker 'Asshole' Who 'Stole $2 Billion' From Artists](https://www.hypebot.com/the-black-keys-call-napster-spotifys-sean-parker-asshole-who-stole-2-billion-from-artists/)