When is the last time you even thought about Napster? Or Kazaa, Morpheus and Audiogalaxy for that matter. Today, these names just seem like irrelevant gibberish. However, Napster has been waging a long, slow comeback fight, culminating with next month that they are introducing a new pricing model and unlimited music streaming.
Customers now have the option to pay $5 a month and get five downloads, plus you can listen to as much streamed music as your heart desires for that time. A few months ago, this plan might have sounded ridiculous. Who wants to just listen to streamed music online when you can download it for free on thePirateBay.org or buy it cheaply on iTunes and take the songs with you anywhere?
Yet, given that the creators of thePirateBay are struggling to appeal a guilty verdict in court and that iTunes has raised prices for many of their more popular songs, maybe now is, strangely, the perfect time for Napster to become relevant again.
So, Metallica and Dr. Dre, if you're reading this, get ready. Your archenemy is back.