Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Metallica sued Napster on April 13, 2000, over the file-sharing service’s role in users finding and exchanging MP3s. The band also named three universities in its complaint. The separate case ended in a settlement in July 2001; its financial terms were not disclosed.
When did Metallica sue Napster?
The complaint was filed on April 13, 2000, according to contemporaneous reporting. That was more than 26 years before October 8, 2026—not “15 years ago today,” a phrase tied to an older publication date.
The complaint named Napster, the University of Southern California, Yale University and Indiana University. It alleged copyright infringement, unlawful use of a digital audio interface device, and violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). These were allegations in the complaint, not findings that the defendants had committed those violations.
Why did Metallica sue Napster?
Napster let users search an index for MP3 files stored on other users’ computers. That setup put the service at the center of disputes over both users’ copying and whether Napster could be held legally responsible for facilitating infringement. The district-court opinion in the separate recording-company case describes the system and the claims against the service.
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minutePC Slower Than It Used to Be?
A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11#1 Best Overall
Metallica’s lawsuit was part of a wider conflict over online music sharing, but it was not the original record-industry case against Napster. The distinction matters: the plaintiffs, proceedings and outcomes were not the same.
How was Metallica’s case different from the record-company case?
Major record companies and musical-work owners brought a separate federal action against Napster in 2000. In that case, the district court issued a preliminary injunction on July 26, 2000. The Ninth Circuit affirmed the injunction in part in February 2001, concluding that the plaintiffs had shown a likelihood of success sufficient to support preliminary relief.
Rank #2
Those injunction decisions concerned the recording-company litigation. They were not a final judgment in Metallica’s separate lawsuit and should not be described as the outcome of the band’s case.
What happened to Metallica’s lawsuit?
Napster settled its copyright suits with Metallica and Dr. Dre in July 2001. Wired reported that the financial terms were not disclosed. Its account said the arrangement would allow some Metallica songs to be traded on Napster if the company launched a legal business model. That conditional arrangement was not a damages award to Metallica.
After the settlement, Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich said, as quoted by Wired: “I think we’ve resolved this in a way that works for fans, recording artists and songwriters alike.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What did Napster say when Metallica filed?
In April 2000, Napster acting CEO Eileen Richardson criticized the band’s management for filing without first contacting the company. Wired reported her response: “We regret that the band’s management saw fit to issue a press release — and to file a lawsuit — without even attempting to contact Napster…. Many bands who have approached us, learned about Napster and how to leverage what we offer, understand the value of what we do.” This was Napster’s response at the time, not a finding by a court.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
