Today MySpace is synonymous with practically every form of media via internet. With each enhanced version of MySpace surfacing over the years, users have continuously taken advantage of new tools and ways to organize their music. When Facebook launched in 2004, it seemed attention was focused away from MySpace (although the site continues to draw in 115 million users each month). However, MySpace seems to be making a comeback –at least when it comes to the future of music.
Recently, MySpace underwent a major renovation with the establishment and upgrading of MySpace Music. The site has come to function in the same way as other online music programs such as iTunes and Napster. New features include a “My Music Page”, which allow those with MySpace accounts to manage their music and to create and edit playlists of songs, as well as embedding their top ten songs to their profile. Users can search and buy ringtones, upload music, add songs to multiple playlists, and purchase MP3s and entire albums, much like on iTunes. The MySpace Personal Music Player allows users to create, share, and buy infinite playlists from any profile, as well as allowing users to have a pop-up playlist available for use at any time they are using their computer. There now exists a Featured Playlist page, in which artists and celebrities create playlists, giving fans an inside look at what their favorite artists are listening to. Search enhancements have also added to the user-friendly design of the site.
In addition to the services offered to users of MySpace Music, MySpace has collaborated progressively more and more directly with artists and bands. MySpace Records emerged in 2005, launching their own independent record label to sign artists featured on the site. Artists are able to perform live webcasts, which now serve as major means for promotion, especially for local or unknown bands. “Artist on Artist” is a new feature of MySpace Music in which video interviews between actors, musicians, filmmakers, and comedians are extended to fans, allowing artists to promote themselves as well as letting users explore the worlds of their favorite celebrities. “Front to Back” offers artists promotion they can’t receive on other music sites. In this feature, artists are able to perform concerts comprised of a single album on a webcast. Users view the online concert weeks before a live show, allowing them to then decide whether or not they want to attend a concert in their city (locations and ticket information is available on the same page). Either way, this is publicity for artists not offered on sites other than MySpace. With such features, fans are capable of creating and controlling their own world of music, by looking up and receiving instant information about their favorite artists/bands/songs/genres. Friends are allowed to share, purchase, and explore further music of their preference.
MySpace Music claims that in the near future the program will continue to develop multiple new features and music management tools, as well as more freely streamable audio and video content. Undoubtedly, the site will increasingly offer promotions to artists (both local and large-scale), as well as attract various artists to MySpace Records. Allowing access to previously unavailable music for fans, as well as continuing to develop user-friendly technology, could possibly result in MySpace becoming the top online music retailer.
Artist on Artist: Ringo Starr & Ben Harper
2 comments:
Before Myspace became a huge social networking conglomerate, I always used the site to track upcoming local bands. This new merger with major record labels to launch this new approach is something that will only enhance the intuitiveness of site, and will drive more people to use it for music purposes.
I've used Myspace Music a little bit now, and I've gotta say I am hugely disappointed. Those articles we found for our group presentation were a bunch of hype and I wouldn't be surprised if the people that wrote them were paid off by Myspace or the record labels. I was expecting an all new website interface for listening/purchasing songs, but no it's the same old cluttered design. The only thing that's new about Myspace Music is a link the purchase a select few songs from Amazon. The record labels are gonna have to do better than this if they want to stay in the game.
Post a Comment