Watch Downloaded

Downloaded is a 2013 documentary film that explores the rise and fall of the music file-sharing service, Napster. The film is directed by Alex Winter and it features exclusive interviews with several key players in the Napster saga, including the service's co-founders, Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker. The film provides an in-depth look at Napster's meteoric rise in the late 1990s and its eventual shutdown in 2001 due to legal conflicts with the music industry. It also examines the impact Napster had on the music industry and the broader cultural implications of file-sharing.

The documentary begins by providing some background on Shawn Fanning and his motivation for creating Napster. Fanning, who was a college student at the time, wanted to find a way to share music with his friends more easily. He created Napster as a peer-to-peer network that allowed users to share MP3 files with each other.

The film then explores the explosive growth of Napster and the impact it had on the music industry. At its peak, Napster had 70 million users and was responsible for the sharing of billions of music files. The music industry, however, saw Napster as a threat to its intellectual property and began a legal campaign to shut down the service.

The film documents the legal battles between Napster and the major record labels, including Metallica's lawsuit against the service, which received widespread media attention. The legal battles eventually led to Napster's shutdown in 2001.

The film also examines the cultural impact of Napster and file-sharing. Many Napster users saw the service as a way to democratize music and make it more accessible to a broader audience. The film features interviews with musicians, including Noel Gallagher and Henry Rollins, who reflect on the impact of Napster on the music industry.

The documentary does not shy away from the controversies surrounding Napster, including its role in facilitating piracy and the impact it had on the business models of musicians and record labels. However, it also highlights the transformative effect of Napster on the music industry and the broader cultural landscape.

Throughout the film, director Alex Winter masterfully weaves together interviews with key players in the Napster saga, archival footage, and original animations to create a compelling narrative that captures the complexity of the Napster story.

Overall, Downloaded is a fascinating exploration of one of the most significant technological innovations of the past two decades and its impact on the music industry and popular culture. It is a must-see for anyone interested in the intersection of technology, entertainment, and intellectual property.

Downloaded is a 2013 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 46 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.8 and a MetaScore of 56.