In fact, the name and the popular cat-with-headphones logo are almost all that remain of Shawn Fanning's original, shut down in July 2001 under the financial pressure of continuing legal battles.
The Napster brand is now owned by Roxio, best known for its CD-burning software. Napster.com today offers downloads from a bank of 500,000 tracks for 99 cents each, or $9.95 per album, but licensing conditions limit the service to US users only.
Licensed on-line music distribution is enjoying success for the first time, lead by Apple's iTunes Music Store which sold one million downloads in its first week.
Napster will face tough competition from Apple and other contenders such as RealNetwork's Rhapsody service. But Chris Gorog, Chairman and CEO of Roxio, is unconcerned.
"We have created the most exciting and comprehensive music experience in the world," he said. "Napster 2.0 is extremely easy-to-use and music fans will find endless enjoyment as they search for, discover and share music."
"It's really great," said Shawn Fanning in his brief endorsement of Roxio's new service.