The invention provides a service providing apparatus and method and an information processing apparatus and method as well as a program storage medium by which a plurality of users can communicate with each other simultaneously. A plurality of client computers are connected to a shared server over a network and log in a common chat room of a chat system. If a user of one of those of the client computers which are in a group requests for reproduction of a predetermined tune, then the instruction is transmitted to the shared server over the network. The shared server receives the instruction transmitted thereto and reads out music data of the request stored in a music database therein, and transmits the music data to the client computers of the group.