AOL Purchases 2 Net Music Firms

America Online Inc. said it acquired closely held Internet music companies Spinner Networks Inc. and Nullsoft Inc. for $400 million in stock. Dulles, Va.-based AOL, the world’s largest online service, said it wants to give customers the latest technology for playing and recording music over the Internet. Spinner’s jukebox service has 1.5 million users each month and broadcasts 2 million songs daily over its Spinner.com Web site. Sedona, Ariz.-based Nullsoft is a developer of MP3 technology, which lets consumers download compact disc-quality recordings for free. America Online will merge the operations of the two companies in San Francisco, where Spinner Networks is based. AOL shares fell $6.13 to close at $113.13 on the NYSE.