3 ms·

MySpace is not what it used to be, but I still don't think its dead. Facebook has eclipsed it as the mainstream social networking site but there are still thing

by qeorge 16y ago

MySpace is not what it used to be, but I still don't think its dead. Facebook has eclipsed it as the mainstream social networking site but there are still things MySpace does better. Notably, you just can't do as much with your profile on Facebook as MySpace, especially for bands. Whether that's a bug or a feature is in the eye of the beholder. As an example, compare the Snowgoons' FB and MySpace pages: http://www.facebook.com/SnowgoonsMusic http://www.facebook.com/SnowgoonsMusic http://www.myspace.com/Snowgoons http://www.myspace.com/Snowgoons The 28-year old me likes the FB page better, but a 15-year old me would have loved the MySpace page.

brandong 16y ago
I've oft wondered why MySpace doesn't attempt to become the standard for bands- so much so that they don't need standalone websites for their group. If they could offer all of the functionality and backend that bands set up on their actual websites they may be able to parlay their last stronghold into something with great value that also hasn't been done to great extent elsewhere. Drop the social network- focus on the millions of myspace bands. (Also, Snowgoons on HN? My worlds just collided...)
- ctkrohn 16y ago
  I think Myspace actually HAS become the standard for such bands, at least for the music that I listen to (metal/punk/hardcore/indie/experimental). You can look up pretty much any band by Googling "band name myspace". You'll get the tour schedule, blog, link to the record label, etc. Often the Myspace pages are designed by the label itself, incorporating the artwork from their latest album. Here's a pretty good example: http://www.myspace.com/kylesa http://www.myspace.com/kylesa Myspace took over from mp3.com after it shut down in late 2003. There was some early competition (at least in underground rock) from purevolume.com, but Myspace's social features won the day. Myspace is still the standard for bands and will likely remain so for a long time -- but "social network for teens and twentysomethings who are into music" is a far cry from "social network for the entire world."
thirdsun 16y ago
Exactly - The whole purpose of myspace is the fact that they have every single band on the planet. Google a bandname and thanks to an agreement between google and myspace the band's myspace page will be one of the top results. It's the fastest way to check out and quickly listen to an artist you might be interested in. This is a feature that Facebook lacks and i never understood why they didn't include options to offer some kind of media showcase on artist fanpages. A simple music player would make a big difference. Today soundcloud seems to be the new myspace (just talking about myspace' music features here), a role that could have easily been filled by facebook.
- robryan 16y ago
  Facebook should team up with Apple, will push their ping idea more mainstream, give Facebook a good music platform which will in turn sell more stuff on itunes. Seems fairly win win.
- bbgm 16y ago
  As a musician I set up a MySpace page, but disliked the site so much, I shut it down. Soundcloud on the other hand ... that I really like and the API makes it much easier to incorporate into your site, something MySpace never really figured out (maybe now they do)
  - thirdsun 16y ago
    i'm also a musician and some years ago a myspace page was absolutely necessary and even back that it looked like crap. i'm glad that soundcloud came into the market - focussing on its main feature: music. Only minimal social features - i guess they know that this stuff happens elsewhere.

by qeorge 16y ago

brandong 16y ago

I've oft wondered why MySpace doesn't attempt to become the standard for bands- so much so that they don't need standalone websites for their group. If they could offer all of the functionality and backend that bands set up on their actual websites they may be able to parlay their last stronghold into something with great value that also hasn't been done to great extent elsewhere. Drop the social network- focus on the millions of myspace bands. (Also, Snowgoons on HN? My worlds just collided...)

ctkrohn 16y ago
I think Myspace actually HAS become the standard for such bands, at least for the music that I listen to (metal/punk/hardcore/indie/experimental). You can look up pretty much any band by Googling "band name myspace". You'll get the tour schedule, blog, link to the record label, etc. Often the Myspace pages are designed by the label itself, incorporating the artwork from their latest album. Here's a pretty good example: http://www.myspace.com/kylesa http://www.myspace.com/kylesa Myspace took over from mp3.com after it shut down in late 2003. There was some early competition (at least in underground rock) from purevolume.com, but Myspace's social features won the day. Myspace is still the standard for bands and will likely remain so for a long time -- but "social network for teens and twentysomethings who are into music" is a far cry from "social network for the entire world."

thirdsun 16y ago

Exactly - The whole purpose of myspace is the fact that they have every single band on the planet. Google a bandname and thanks to an agreement between google and myspace the band's myspace page will be one of the top results. It's the fastest way to check out and quickly listen to an artist you might be interested in. This is a feature that Facebook lacks and i never understood why they didn't include options to offer some kind of media showcase on artist fanpages. A simple music player would make a big difference. Today soundcloud seems to be the new myspace (just talking about myspace' music features here), a role that could have easily been filled by facebook.

robryan 16y ago
Facebook should team up with Apple, will push their ping idea more mainstream, give Facebook a good music platform which will in turn sell more stuff on itunes. Seems fairly win win.
bbgm 16y ago
As a musician I set up a MySpace page, but disliked the site so much, I shut it down. Soundcloud on the other hand ... that I really like and the API makes it much easier to incorporate into your site, something MySpace never really figured out (maybe now they do)
- thirdsun 16y ago
  i'm also a musician and some years ago a myspace page was absolutely necessary and even back that it looked like crap. i'm glad that soundcloud came into the market - focussing on its main feature: music. Only minimal social features - i guess they know that this stuff happens elsewhere.