Napster was created by Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker.
Key Founders
Shawn Fanning, a college student, developed the initial peer-to-peer file- sharing software in 1999 to simplify MP3 music exchanges. Sean Parker, whom Fanning met online as a teenager, co-founded the company, provided initial funding of $50,000, and helped launch it on June 1, 1999.
Additional Contributors
Fanning's uncle, John Fanning, joined early, securing a significant ownership stake and aiding business efforts. Jordan Ritter also collaborated in the project's early stages from Boston. The service rapidly gained tens of millions of users before shutting down in 2001 due to copyright lawsuits.
