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Myspace: Do-It-Yourself Media Empire.
A Music X-Press Magazine Feature by Jason Cangialosi Where can music fans hear and see thousands of unsigned or independent artists at the click of a button? What has become a multidimensional networking tool for these artists to reach millions of fans? Why is it so addicting? Myspace.com. Media Mogul Rupert Murdoch (News Corporation, Fox TV) could see beyond the tacky html code that glittered juvenile text alongside photo slide shows of teenage debauchery. He saw a global network of millions of people doing just about whatever then wanted with cyberspace and Myspace translated into a branded name that could rake in serious cash. Ever since Murdoch's News Corporation bought out Myspace, the company kept profit and revenue figures secret, so only Tom (Founder Tom Anderson) and his 300 Myspace soldiers know the millions they swim in daily. In 2006 there were a record 100,000,000 accounts being used on Myspace and the company can brag of up to 230,000 new accounts created a day. It's safe to say that of those Millions, a good percentage of pages are musician created and fan based. Almost everyone's Myspace page has their favorite tune of the month, week or day, playing over and over for friends and family to hear as they post blogs about breakfast or comments about cats. It is probably one of the most randomly phenomenal web portals created, but also one drastically altering the business of music. Anyone who's anyone in music circles has a Myspace page, with a fair share of nobodies to boot. Everything about the site is free and artists can upload songs, videos, promotional tools, start their own fan club and create an unforeseen intimacy. When fans get added to a musician's "Friend List", there is a direct connection made, whether real or illusion. Who knows if most artists actually read and respond to messages and comments posted by fans? For many independent or struggling musicians the responses may very well be real, but if Shakira writes back with Xs and Os the day after you send a message, chances are it's her PR team. Creating a Myspace page has become increasingly dummy proof with supporting websites popping up by the dozens to aid with graphics and code. It's almost a paint-by-numbers web design once you get the hang of it. Artists who take full advantage of the pages can tease fans by premiering tracks from upcoming albums, establish direct links to CDs and merchandise and create a push button publicity machine. Independent artists have been reaching out to their "Friends List" to find out what cities react, planning tours and gigs around who responds. Singer/Songwriter Colbie Caillat recently put a call out to her almost 100,000 strong friends to see who would come to a show if she popped into their town. Where else could an unsigned artist plan and promote a nationwide tour without the marketing expense. Promoting in the actual cities on tours is another benefit many artists take advantage of on Myspace. A quick e-mail reminder to all the fans in any particular city/state is easily arranged through a search and send feature. In the digital studio, it's also become easier for artists to get a feel for what people want to hear. All it takes is uploading a new song and waiting to see how many plays the songs get, as people post comments; and they will especially if asked. This is the ultimate feedback system for an artist trying to find their audience. Where years ago it might've taken a band in Minnesota decades to discover they had a potential following in Paraguay, it can happen over night on Myspace. Every genre you've never heard of is on Myspace, along with all the favorites. This makes exploring the site's dedicated music section a truly enriching experience. From A'ccapella to Zouk, from Ghettotech to Shoegaze, or K-Pop to Bossa Nova, the world can suddenly become an addictive click-fest of ear candy. Such extensive learning tools can also open doors for networking and collaborative efforts with artists. Myspace expanded this potential by adding a Music Classifieds section, where musicians and professionals post free ads to find that perfect voice, promoter or piano tuner. After the News Corporation acquired the site's operation, a Myspace Record Label was developed with the backing of Universal and Interscope Records. Though it didn't exactly cause the stir probably intended; signing artists like Mickey Avalon, Hollywood Undead, Sherwood and Kate Voegele. Surely a respectable roster, but the true musical innovation of Myspace has been, and hopefully will be its harvesting of Do-It-Yourself artists. Where a media conglomeration like the News Corporation lived off the method of consume and control, Murdoch had the foresight to see Myspace as the future of collaborate and connect.
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Contributor's Note
Jason Cangialosi was the former editor of Music X-Press Magazine.
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