Fifteen years of ‘Utopia’: Napster and Pitchfork as technologies of democratization

Authors

  • David Carter University of Tasmania
  • Ian Rogers RMIT University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v19i10.5543

Keywords:

Napster, Pitchfork, music technology, democratization, music journalism, file sharing

Abstract

The legacy of Napster is filled with bold claims that continue to circulate. As recently as 2013, Wired writer Angela Watercutter described the service as “strings of code that forever changed the relationship between technology and music.” In this paper, we set out to problematize this narrative by outlining a seldom–reported pre–history of Napster combined with an expanded examination of the alternative legacies surrounding the platform. One such legacy is the rise of eclectic music criticism portal Pitchfork.com, a media entity (and business model) that similarly traded on a revolutionary backstory.

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Published

2014-10-05

How to Cite

Carter, D., & Rogers, I. (2014). Fifteen years of ‘Utopia’: Napster and Pitchfork as technologies of democratization. First Monday, 19(10). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v19i10.5543