Napster claims Christmas subscriber bonanza

Napster today boasted of "very strong" subscriber growth during the Christmas holiday period, resulting in a 50 per cent quarter-on-quarter increase in paying subscribers.

The digital music firm claimed that, at the end of the quarter ending 31 December 2004, its membership stood at 270,000 paying subscribers, including 44,000 participating in its university programmes.

"We believe that 50 per cent quarter-over-quarter subscriber growth makes Napster the fastest growing music subscription service in the industry," said Chris Gorog, Napster's chairman and chief executive.

"We expect to continue to drive very substantial subscriber growth in 2005 starting with the upcoming consumer launch and marketing campaign for 'Napster To Go', the world's first portable music subscription service."

The firm will announce financial results for its third fiscal quarter following the market close on 9 February.