Music streaming has revolutionized the way we consume music in the 21st century, beginning with Napster in 1999. Napster’s peer-to-peer sharing allowed users to access music for free, including rare cuts and live versions. However, it faced legal challenges over copyright infringement from the music industry, including lawsuits by Metallica and Dr. Dre. Despite its popularity, Napster, in its original state was shut down in 2001, but it paved the way for the future of music distribution.
In 2003, Apple launched iTunes, offering legal downloads at $0.99 per song, supported by the iPod. By 2005, Pandora introduced personalized music recommendations, influencing modern streaming services like Spotify. Platforms like MySpace also provided indie musicians with a space to share music, though it faded with the rise of Facebook. Following the shutdown, the Napster name and brand were acquired by a new company, Roxio, which then launched a subscription-based music streaming service in 2019, called “Napster 2.0” that allowed users to legally access and purchase music.
Today, services like Spotify and Apple Music dominate, with over 100 million paid subscribers worldwide. However, they face criticism on artist share of the profits. While some platforms have thrived and become household names, many others have disappeared, leaving behind a trail of nostalgia and lessons for the industry.
Here’s a comprehensive look at notable music streaming services that are now defunct, including D’Music by Digicel.
Radical.fm
- Reason: Shut down
- Discontinued: 29 June 2018
Radical.fm offered a unique blend of personalized radio and social sharing features. Despite its innovative approach, it struggled to maintain its presence in a competitive market.
Xbox Music Pass
- Reason: Succeeded by Groove Music Pass
- Discontinued: 6 July 2015
Microsoft’s Xbox Music Pass was rebranded as Groove Music Pass, reflecting a shift in focus towards integration with Windows 10 and broader device compatibility.
iTunes Radio
- Reason: Integrated into Apple Music
- Discontinued: 30 June 2015
Apple consolidated its streaming services under the Apple Music umbrella, ending the standalone iTunes Radio service.
Beats Music
- Reason: Succeeded by Apple Music
- Discontinued: 30 June 2015
After Apple acquired Beats Electronics for 3 billion, the Beats Music platform was merged into Apple Music, further bolstering Apple’s streaming portfolio.
Blinkbox Music
- Reason: Under administration
- Discontinued: 11 June 2015
Originally owned by Tesco, Blinkbox Music failed to sustain its operations and ceased services after entering administration.
Groove Music Pass
- Reason: Shut down
- Discontinued: 31 December 2017
Microsoft retired Groove Music Pass, redirecting its subscribers to Spotify in an effort to streamline its offerings.
Grooveshark
- Reason: Shut down
- Discontinued: 30 April 2015
Grooveshark’s legal battles over copyright infringement ultimately led to its shutdown, marking the end of a controversial yet beloved platform.
Google Play Music
- Reason: Merged with YouTube Music
- Discontinued: 31 December 2020
Google unified its music streaming efforts by transitioning Google Play Music users to YouTube Music.
Guvera
- Reason: Shut down
- Discontinued: 12 May 2017
Despite its presence in multiple countries, Guvera faced financial difficulties and exited the streaming market.
Rara
- Reason: Shut down
- Discontinued: 29 March 2015
Rara’s attempt to attract casual listeners with an easy-to-use interface wasn’t enough to sustain its operations.
Last.fm
- Reason: Discontinued radio streaming service; now a database for tracking listening histories
- Discontinued: 28 April 2014
Last.fm shifted its focus from streaming to becoming a valuable resource for music data and analytics.
Batanga Radio
- Reason: Shut down
- Discontinued: 25 December 2017
This Latin music platform ceased operations after struggling to compete in the global streaming market.
MixRadio
- Reason: Shut down
- Discontinued: 21 March 2016
Once a promising service for personalized playlists, MixRadio’s acquisition by Line Corporation couldn’t save it from closure.
Music Unlimited
- Reason: Replaced by PlayStation Music powered by Spotify
- Discontinued: 29 March 2015
Sony’s Music Unlimited made way for the more robust PlayStation Music, leveraging Spotify’s established infrastructure.
Musicovery
- Reason: Shut down the interactive radio service; now a music playlist supplier
- Discontinued: 2 January 2017
Musicovery transitioned from a streaming service to a playlist curation tool for other platforms.
Electric Jukebox
- Reason: Succeeded by ROXi
- Discontinued: 1 August 2017
The home-streaming device Electric Jukebox evolved into ROXi, focusing on family-friendly music experiences.
WiMP
- Reason: Integrated into Tidal
- Discontinued: 23 March 2015
WiMP’s high-fidelity streaming features were absorbed into Tidal, catering to audiophiles worldwide.
Simfy
- Reason: Shut down; temporarily referred users to Deezer
- Discontinued: 1 March 2015
Simfy’s integration with Deezer provided its users with a seamless transition to a larger platform.
MOG
- Reason: Succeeded by Beats Music and subsequently Apple Music
- Discontinued: 21 January 2015
MOG’s technology and catalog became part of Beats Music, later forming the foundation of Apple Music.
Songza
- Reason: Merged into Google Play Music and subsequently into YouTube Music
- Discontinued: 21 October 2014
Known for its expertly curated playlists, Songza’s legacy lives on within Google’s music services.
Ubuntu One Music
- Reason: Discontinued
- Discontinued: 2 April 2014
Canonical’s attempt at cloud-based music storage ended with the shutdown of Ubuntu One Music.
Zune Pass
- Reason: Succeeded by Xbox Music Pass and subsequently Groove Music Pass
- Discontinued: 15 October 2012
Microsoft’s Zune Pass marked the early days of music subscriptions before its eventual rebranding.
Mflow
- Reason: Succeeded by Bloom.fm
- Discontinued: 1 January 2012
Mflow’s social sharing features found new life in its successor, Bloom.fm.
Thumbplay
- Reason: Acquired by iHeartRadio
- Discontinued: 1 March 2011
Thumbplay’s acquisition allowed iHeartRadio to expand its music streaming capabilities.
Rdio
- Reason: Shut down / Assets purchased by Pandora
- Discontinued: 22 December 2015
Rdio’s stylish interface and extensive library couldn’t prevent its closure, but its assets were utilized by Pandora.
Rhapsody
- Reason: Succeeded by Napster
- Discontinued: 14 June 2016
Rhapsody adopted the Napster brand, continuing its legacy under a familiar name.
thesixtyone
- Reason: Shut down
- Discontinued: 1 May 2017
Known for its focus on indie music, thesixtyone struggled to maintain its audience.
Yahoo! Music Unlimited
- Reason: Shut down (users offered option to transfer account to Rhapsody)
- Discontinued: 30 September 2008
Yahoo! Music Unlimited’s brief run ended with a transition to Rhapsody.
Spinner
- Reason: Merged into Netscape Radio
- Discontinued: 2002
Spinner’s early efforts in online radio laid the groundwork for future streaming services.
Slacker Radio
- Reason: Succeeded by LiveXLive
- Discontinued: 25 April 2019
Slacker’s rebranding as LiveXLive reflected a shift towards live streaming and video content.
LiveXLive
- Reason: Succeeded by LiveOne
- Discontinued: 6 October 2021
LiveXLive’s evolution into LiveOne demonstrated its commitment to broadening its digital offerings.
D’Music by Digicel
- Reason: Discontinued
D’Music was a regional streaming service by Digicel that catered to Caribbean audiences but could not sustain operations in a rapidly consolidating global market.
