Napster 4.0 : Delivering Digital Music Anytime, Anywhere

Napster yesterday unveiled a major redesign of the industry's leading music subscription service with the launch of Napster 4.0, a feature-rich web-based service that allows subscribers to access and play their music on any internet-connected computer without downloading any software.

"Consumers want their digital music to be available wherever they are," said Rob Enderle, principal analyst with the Enderle Group. "By migrating to the Web and eliminating the need to download any software, Napster has taken a significant leap forward, making it possible for subscribers to access its complete catalog -- and more importantly, their own Napster music library -- whenever and wherever they have access to the internet."

Napster 4.0 gives subscribers the freedom to enjoy on-demand access to its massive music catalog of 5 million tracks anytime, anywhere -- from work, a friend's home, or while on the road. Subscribers just need to sign in to the new cross-platform application available on PC, Mac and Linux from an Internet Explorer or Firefox web browser. Subscribers will also be able to access any saved tracks, albums or playlists.

In addition to a fresh design, easy navigation and intuitive user interface, Napster 4.0 introduces a rich set of features for a dynamic, flexible music discovery and listening experience, including:

• Napster automix, a new innovative and automated music recommendation/discovery tool that finds and plays hours of music like the track you're listening to with a single click, streaming a customized playlist based on the Napster community's musical preferences.
• Easy access to music discovery tools, including Billboard charts, genre pages, new releases, radio stations, staff picks, other subscriber's music collections and more.
• Pre-programmed playlists across a variety of genres and themes and the ability to easily create and view your own playlists.
• Access to exclusive content available first on Napster, including today's release of three collector's edition albums from 1970s British rock band Joy Division; "Oblivion with Bells" from British electronic music duo Underworld; exclusive tracks from R&B legend Betty Davis and "American Idol" star Bo Bice; and playlists created for Napster by The Bravery and Atreyu.
  

"The launch of Napster 4.0 reflects the spirit of online music innovation that is synonomous with Napster. We are committed to providing our subscribers with cutting-edge ways to find new music, enjoy old favorites, and actively participate in a community of music lovers," said Napster CEO Chris Gorog.

"Napster has a dynamic product roadmap encompassing the online, mobile and home entertainment environments and we are focused on introducing more exciting products and services moving forward," Gorog added. "The development of the web-based architecture allows us to explore opportunities with a variety of other web properties and internet-connected devices. These initiatives are focused on expanding our user base, eliminating barriers and allowing consumers to enjoy music wherever they are."

Napster 4.0 also gives Mac and Linux users for the first time the ability to stream music from the industry's leading subscription service, including unlimited, on-demand access to Napster's massive catalog of 5 million songs.

The Napster 4.0 client user interface mirrors the web-based service. PC-based subscribers can use the client to manage their music collection, rip and burn CDs and transfer tracks to a compatible portable device.