
<PAGE>

                                 SCHEDULE 13D

CUSIP No. 292476108                                            Page 1 of 5 Pages

                                 UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            Washington, D.C.  20549


                                  SCHEDULE 13D
                   Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                                EMusic.com Inc.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                (Name of Issuer)

                                  Common Stock
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                   292476108
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                 (CUSIP Number)

                               Gene Hoffman, Jr.
                            1991 Broadway, 2nd Floor
                             Redwood City, CA 94063
                                 (650) 216-0200
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and
                                Communications)

                                 April 6, 2001
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
            (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement)

If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report
the acquisition that is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this
schedule because of (S)(S) 240.13d-1(e), 240.13d-1(f) or 240.13d-1(g), check the
following box [_].

                                       1
<PAGE>

                                 SCHEDULE 13D

CUSIP No. 292476108                                            Page 2 of 5 Pages

<TABLE>
<S>                    <C>         <C>
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          1            NAME OF REPORTING PERSON:
                       Gene Hoffman, Jr.

                       S. S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          2            CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (See Instructions)
                       (a)  [  ]
                       (b)  [  ]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          3            SEC USE ONLY

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          4            SOURCE OF FUNDS*
                       PF
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          5            CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO ITEMS 2(d) or 2(e)
                       [   ]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
          6            CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
                       Unites States of America
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  NUMBER OF SHARES              7  SOLE VOTING POWER
    BENEFICIALLY                   3,208,791
        OWNED                  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       BY EACH                  8  SHARED VOTING POWER
      REPORTING                    0
       PERSON                  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
        WITH                    9  SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
                                   3,208,791
                               --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               10  SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
                                   0
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         11            AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
                       3,208,791
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         12            CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES (See Instructions)
                       [_]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         13            PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11)
                       7.4%
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         14            TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON (See Instructions)
                       IN
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

                                       2
<PAGE>

                                 SCHEDULE 13D

CUSIP No. 292476108                                            Page 3 of 5 Pages


Item 1. Security and Issuer.
------- --------------------

        This Schedule relates to shares of Common Stock, $.001 par value per
share, of EMusic.com Inc.("EMusic"). EMusic's principal executive offices are
located at 1991 Broadway, Redwood City, CA 94063.

Item 2. Identity and Background.
------- ------------------------

        Gene Hoffman, Jr. is the President and Chief Executive Officer of
EMusic.com. Mr. Hoffman's business address is EMusic.com, 1991 Broadway, Redwood
City, CA 94063. During the last five years, Mr. Hoffman has not been convicted
in a criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations or similar misdemeanors),
and was not a party to a civil proceeding of a judicial or administrative body
of competent jurisdiction that resulted in a judgment, decree or final order
enjoining future violations of, or prohibiting or mandating activities subject
to, federal or state securities laws or finding any violation with respect to
such laws. Mr. Hoffman is a citizen of the United States of America.

Item 3. Source and Amount of Funds or Other Consideration.
------  -------------------------------------------------

        The securities reported in this Schedule were acquired through purchases
made prior to EMusic's initial public offering and subsequent open market
purchases. The source of the funds used to make such purchases was personal
funds.

Item 4. Purpose of Transaction.
------- -----------------------

        On April 6, 2001, Mr. Hoffman entered into a Stockholders Agreement in
the form attached hereto as Exhibit 1. The full text of such exhibit is
incorporated herein by reference. The purpose of the filer in entering into the
Stockholders Agreement was to enhance the likelihood of completion of the
transaction provided for in the Agreement and Plan of Merger ("Merger
                                                               ------
Agreement"), entered into concurrently with the Stockholders Agreement, that
---------
provides for the acquisition of EMusic at a price per share of $0.57.  Except as
set forth above, the filer does not have any intention to engage in any of the
transactions enumerated in Items 4(a) through 4(j) of this Schedule.

Item 5. Interest in Securities of the Issuer.
------  ------------------------------------

        For purposes of Rule 13d-3, Mr. Hoffman is the beneficial owner of
3,208,791 of shares of Common Stock. Such shares represent approximately 7.4% of
EMusic's Common Stock. The number of shares with respect to which Mr. Hoffman
entered into the Stockholders Agreement is 3,339,000, of which 250,000 represent
shares subject to option and not necessarily exercisable within 60 days. Mr.
Hoffman has sole voting power over all shares he beneficially owns. Except as
described in Items 3 and 4 above, Mr. Hoffman has not engaged in any other
transactions with respect to these shares in the past sixty days.

                                       3
<PAGE>

                                 SCHEDULE 13D

CUSIP No. 292476108                                            Page 4 of 5 Pages

Item 6. Contracts, Arrangements, Understandings or Relationships with Respect
------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------
to Securities of the Issuer
---------------------------

        Pursuant to the terms of the Stockholders Agreement, filed herewith, and
incorporated by reference herein, as Exhibit 1, Mr. Hoffman agreed (i) to vote
his shares of EMusic Common Stock reported in this Schedule in favor of the
transactions described in the Merger Agreement, filed herewith, and incorporated
by reference herein, as Exhibit 2; (ii) to tender such shares in the Offer
described in the Merger Agreement; and (iii) to grant an irrevocable option to
Universal Music Group, Inc. and Universal Acquisition Corp. to purchase such
shares in accordance with Section 3.2 of the Stockholders Agreement. Under an
agreement Mr. Hoffman entered into with Emusic in March 1999, Emusic's right to
repurchase 743,400 shares of Common Stock held by Mr. Hoffman will terminate
upon any acquisition of Emusic or upon the termination of Mr. Hoffman's
employment other than for cause.

Item 7. Material to be filed as Exhibits.
------- ---------------------------------

EXHIBIT NO.    DESCRIPTION
-----------    -----------

    1.         Stockholders Agreement, dated as of April 6, 2001

    2.         Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of April 6, 2001, by and
               among Universal Music Group, Inc., Universal Acquisition Corp.
               and EMusic.com Inc.

                                       4
<PAGE>

                                 SCHEDULE 13D

CUSIP No. 292476108                                            Page 5 of 5 Pages

        After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and
correct.


Date:  April 16, 2001                     By: /s/ Gene Hoffman, Jr.
                                             -----------------------
                                             Gene Hoffman, Jr.
                                             President and
                                             Chief Executive Officer
                                             of EMusic.com Inc.

                                       5
