MegaSite Mania

Back in 2000 and 2001, when Napster—the original incarnation that consisted of massive peer to peer file sharing and downloading—was its height of popularity, many people wondered whether Napster was hurting record sales, or if it was actually having a positive effect on record sales. It was always difficult to discern the precise impact of Napster, but it was clear that it did have some kind of major impact. And not just on record sales: Napster soon came to symbolize all that was right or (some would say) wrong with the Internet.

The former group saw Napster as a representation of the freedom and autonomy offered by the Internet. In the classic David versus Goliath scenario, the Internet seemed to move things squarely on the side of the little guy. For once, consumers appeared to be in control of the product. In the case of Napster, the product was music, and music fans everywhere rejoiced at the power they had as Napster users. They could upload all their favorite songs or video clips, and share them with other Napster users. With a good high-speed connection, Napster users could download high quality MP3 music files and burn them onto their own CDs, or load them onto their MP3 players. For a music fan who liked their music fast, cheap, and digital, free seemed like an even better way to acquire their favorite tunes.

But for some well-known names in the music industry and the major record labels, Napster represented a far less positive development in the world of music. Napster was another unpleasant reminder of the inconsistencies and legal gray spots represented by the Internet. And it was a glaringly obvious reminder of how the Internet can take on a life of its own. The Internet—and sites like Napster—snatched away the control from the major record labels and artists to control their own work. More importantly, the major record labels and some high profile music artists argued, Napster was facilitating the widespread practice of copyright violation. And it was probably costing them big in terms of record sales.

But was this true? Did Napster really hurt record sales, or did it actually help boost record sales? There are convincing arguments to be made on both sides. On the face of it, it appears that Napster did definitely hurt record sales. After all, Napster allowed users to download high-quality MP3 music files. Why would music fans go to the record store and buy CDs if they can get almost the same thing in the comfort of their own home? However, there is another argument to be made, and it has shown that perhaps Napster may have had some positive effects on record sales.

Many users of the original Napster incarnation have commented that they used the site as a sort of ‘music search engine.’ Many users downloaded songs as “free samples” that allowed them to try out new artists or sample new albums from their favorite artists. Devoted music fans continued to purchase CDs from their favorite artists to own the packaging that accompanied favorite releases, or began to seek out CDs from new artists that they found while browsing on Napster. Napster brought the focus back to the music. It offered none of the often-superficial promotional tools that accompany many of the major label releases. Using Napster as their own personal jukebox, fans could decide what music they wanted to listen to.

Defenders of Napster point to one startling statistic: after the site was officially shut down, record sales seem to have suffered a palpable downturn. Coincidence? Some Napster fans think not.