Agreed! I still have all my vinyl and all of my CD's (and I've bought several CD collections from people moving to streaming), but I figured for $49.95/year it was worth being able to listen to anything I desired - especially to sample new/different music, find old music from the past that I don't own, etc. At the current rates of $120/month (off the cuff approximate average across providers) I'm not so sure...
From: "Paul Ryak" w1pr@cox.net To: "Ken Alker via SBARC-list" sbarc-list@lists.netlojix.com Cc: "digital" digital@sbarc.org, "Ken Alker" ka6ken@alker.net Sent: Friday, January 30, 2026 12:14:54 PM Subject: RE: [Sbarc-list] Napster - again again
Try vinyl. Pay once, enjoy forever
-------- Original message -------- From: Ken Alker via SBARC-list sbarc-list@lists.netlojix.com Date: 1/30/26 8:21 AM (GMT-08:00) To: sbarc-list sbarc-list@lists.netlojix.com Cc: digital digital@sbarc.org, Ken Alker ka6ken@alker.net Subject: [Sbarc-list] Napster - again again
Napster has re-created itself a second time (third instance, if you will). See https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/napsters-back-and-its-new-....
I thought Brian (K6BPM) would like this particularly, considering his mentions of personality trade-marking.
The first re-creation of Napster was when they took over the Rhapsody brand, which is why I was researching them. I have had a Rhapsody (now Napster) music streaming subscription since 2006 as a beta tester for Sonos (wow - how time FLIEs). I got a special deal at $49.95/year but it only works with my Sonos system. When I tried to stream music yesterday on my Sonos system it told me that they no longer support Napster (formerly Rhapsody) and that I should delete the icon from my Sonos app entirely. Hmmm... I've already been charged my $49.95 for the year by Napster.
I think Rhapsody may have been the first ever music streaming service (not sure, though; maybe just "one of the first"). Another one bites the dust.
Ken _______________________________________________ SBARC-list mailing list -- sbarc-list@lists.netlojix.com To unsubscribe send an email to sbarc-list-leave@lists.netlojix.com