Due to the lack of payments: Sony Music is again on trial against Napster.
On August 1, 2025, Sony Music Entertainment submitted a lawsuit against the Napster streaming service and its parent company Rhapsody International. In the application, which was submitted to the Federal Court in Manhattan, the label demands $ 9.2 million of outstanding license fees and royalties. In addition, up to $ 37.5 million is claimed for alleged copyright infringement.
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Legal conflict with Napster has long history
Already in 1999 Sony Music was part of a greater legal approach to Napster, at that time still known as a peer-to-peer exchange. Today, the service is accused of continuing to stream content from the Sony catalog, although corresponding license agreements have been officially ended since June 2025. The streaming service has not complied with its contractually agreed payment obligations for over a year, said Sony. According to the lawsuit, several license contracts are affected, including agreements with the subsidiaries Foundation Media and Orchard.
Takeover by Infinite Reality
In March of this year, Napster’s parent company Rhapsody International was taken over by web3 company Infinite Reality for around $ 207 million. This takeover would have granted Sony the right to terminate all existing contracts with Napster. Instead, they agreed on a four -part payment plan, but according to the lawsuit, no single rate was paid.
Sony accuses Napster “Willful Copyright Increase” and demands up to $ 150,000 per injured work. An attached list comprises 240 affected songs. Other complaints, including from Soundexchange and Sonos, also accuse Napster of outstanding payments, a total of over $ 3.4 million.
The future of Napster remains uncertain
The legal dispute illustrates the continuing tensions between music labels and streaming platforms, especially with regard to fair remuneration and licensing transparency. The future of Napster remains uncertain against the background of repeated allegations.