BowieNet

BowieNet was an internet service provider that the musician David Bowie launched in 1998 and operated until 2006, delivered through partnerships with the network services companies UltraStar and Concentric Network Corporation, later known as XO Communications. Dial up access cost 19.95 dollars a month in the United States or 10 pounds in the United Kingdom, while subscribers of other providers could pay 5.95 dollars for access to davidbowie.com alone, and the service attracted about 100,000 subscribers at its peak. Members received an email address at davidbowie.com and access to exclusive audio, music videos and chat rooms where Bowie himself sometimes took part under aliases, along with BowieWorld, a three dimensional virtual environment with user controlled avatars. On 21 September 1999 Bowie released his album Hours through BowieNet ahead of its physical release, making him the first major artist to release a complete album for download over the internet.