Sony Music Parties Like It’s 1999, Sues Napster Again

In the 2020s, even the lawsuits are retro: Sony Music is suing Napster and its parent company Rhapsody International for $9.2 million in unpaid royalties, with the potential for $36 million in damages. Alongside Metallica, the RIAA, and just about every pre-digital music company, Sony last sued Napster 26 years ago.

Napster was acquired by tech startup Infinite Reality for $207 million last March. But Reality turned out to be stubbornly finite, and as Pitchfork reports, Napster had failed to make any payments for over a year. At the time of purchase, IR reportedly agreed to a payment plan with Sony Music. The lawsuit alleges that IR hasn’t made a single payment, while continuing to give your parents’ computer viruses stream music.

This might come as a shock, but in 2025 Napster may be struggling with its business model. According to Billboard, at least half a dozen labels have complained, with payments late by a few months to more than a year. SoundExchange has already sued Napster and Sonos over unpaid royalties, and if Napster can’t get it together, the whole industry might have to call Metallica and party like it’s 1999.