Napster has struck a deal with a technology partner that could save the song-swapping service's life.
The beleaguered service faces closure later today if it does not comply with a court order to remove copyrighted material from its site.
The deal with Gracenote, a world leader in music recognition services, should block copyrighted songs from being downloaded by users.
The move should go some way to convincing both the court and record companies that Napster is trying its hardest to work with them.
Gracenote's software will help Napster identify a greater number of user-defined variations in naming artists and songs.
This is crucial for the service because it has no way of controlling the way in which users deliberately misspell song titles to avoid the filters.
Napster is desperate to comply with a pre-trial injunction requiring it to remove all songs specified by copyright owners, or face closure within hours.
"This is a great moment for digital music. We're so pleased we could be a part of the solution that keeps the Napster phenomenon alive," said Gracenote president David Hyman.
Napster chief executive Hank Barry said yesterday the company was doing its best to block files but admitted the screening process remains "a work in progress".
The technology partnership could be seen as a last-ditch attempt to restore some faith in the song bootlegging service, but observers are not convinced it will do the trick.
"It's an improvement but it's not enough to make a difference," said Paul Myers, founder of Wippit, a soon-to-launch legal version of Napster.
He likened the move to the murder squad solving a case by using a shortsighted and slightly confused eye witness, but said it was better than before.
He said the Napster's previous attempts to resolve the issue wasn't "unlike the murder squad giving forensics the day off and trying solve a crime using a residential phone book".
The Recording Industry Association of America, on behalf of BMG, Warner, EMI, Universal and Sony, submitted 135,000 file names to Napster on Friday to have them blocked from the file-sharing service.
While Napster was ordered by the court to rid its service of song titles submitted by the RIAA within three days, it is expected Napster will be given a further stay of execution today.
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