[Column] Myspace music culture in the 2000s is being reevaluated: The map of music changed by personal communication
Column en History Myspace Social Media![[Column] Myspace music culture in the 2000s is being reevaluated: The map of music changed by personal communication](/../assets/images/column-myspace.webp)
Introduction: Myspace and the 2000s music scene
Text: mmr｜Theme: The rise and re-evaluation of Myspace music culture in the 2000s, and the trajectory of personal communication that changed the music scene
In the early 2000s, with the emergence of Myspace as a place where the Internet and music intersect, the traditional record-based music distribution changed dramatically.
Myspace was born in America in 2003. It was originally designed as a social networking site for students and creators to interact, but when music functionality was added in 2004, it quickly began to influence the shaping of music culture. Until then, music distribution had relied on limited distribution through record companies. For indie bands and new artists, there were very limited means of disseminating their demo material, and they had to rely on local live performances and friend networks.
Myspace’s music feature revolutionized this situation. The system that allows anyone to upload their own music, publish it on their profile page, and share it with friends and visitors presents a new way to disseminate music that does not require traditional distribution channels. Users can spread music through their “friends” and follow their favorite artists to listen to their latest songs. Furthermore, since the design of the profile page could be freely customized, it became possible to express not only music but also visual expression and individuality.
Formation and characteristics of Myspace music culture
Anyone can post and share music on Myspace, creating a community that transcends regions and genres.
Myspace’s music culture was not just a place to distribute music, but a platform where artists and listeners could directly connect and form a community. Artists were able to post their own songs on their profile pages and deliver them to listeners through the Myspace Player, which allowed previews of each song. Additionally, since the design of the page could be freely customized, it was also possible to express a unique world view that matched the genre of music and individuality.
One of the features of this platform is “Top Friends”. It also functioned as a music recommendation function, allowing you to display your closest friends and favorite artists at the top of the list. Since the song was spread through a network of friends, word-of-mouth promotion was extremely effective. In particular, genres that were popular among young people at the time, such as emo, indie rock, electronica, and hip-hop, rapidly formed communities on Myspace.
The comment section between users was not just a place to exchange impressions, but also became an opportunity for musical exchanges, remixes, and collaborations. Local live events and self-produced CDs were also announced, creating a new movement in which online and offline music cultures are linked. Also, at the time, YouTube and SoundCloud hadn’t yet taken off, so Myspace played a central role in music dissemination and discovery.
A new way to discover artists
Myspace has become a place where not only scouts and record companies but also general listeners can discover new music.
With the advent of Myspace, the traditional framework of the music industry has changed significantly. Previously, record companies and radio stations were the primary means of discovering new artists, but Myspace now allows users to discover new music through their own networks and spread the word. For example, in 2005, the UK’s Arctic Monkeys posted self-produced demos on Myspace, gaining international attention beyond local venues and leading to a record deal. Similarly, artists such as Lily Allen and Soulja Boy became widely known through Myspace.
The user-generated word-of-mouth and comment culture went beyond simply exchanging impressions; it also functioned as a forum for feedback to improve artists’ songs. This system provides live data that cannot be obtained through traditional industry-driven promotions, and allows artists to grow their work together with their fans. In addition, because it was possible to post announcements of live events and sales links for self-produced CDs on the profile page, there were an increasing number of cases where online popularity was directly linked to offline success.
Expanding community and culture
Myspace was not only a platform for music, but also a platform that supported users’ self-expression and culture formation.
Myspace was more than just a place to share music; it also served as a canvas for individuals to express their culture and hobbies. The customizability of profile pages was an important element that reflected users’ aesthetic sense and tastes. It was possible to select background images, colors, fonts, and decorate using HTML and CSS, allowing artists to present a visual worldview along with music.
Communities rooted in specific genres and regions have also been actively formed. Users who shared the same hobbies and values, such as emo, punk, indie rock, and hip-hop, connected with each other through friend requests and comments, and an online scene was built. This was a global network that transcended geographical constraints, unlike traditional music scenes that were limited to certain regions. Live events and self-produced CDs were also actively announced, and a culture was formed in which online communities were directly connected to offline activities.
The expansion of this community represented the prototype of SNS culture as a place for self-expression centered on music. Rather than just passively consuming music, users were able to interact with artists and become part of the culture themselves. With its interactivity and high degree of freedom of expression, Myspace has built a unique cultural sphere that is different from other SNS.
The decline of Myspace and its background
Myspace gradually lost its position as a central platform due to increased competition in social networks and the emergence of streaming services.
After 2008, Myspace faced a decline in the number of users. A major factor is the rapid rise of Facebook, and the outflow of users to the convenience of being able to centrally manage a network of friends and information. Additionally, the delay in smartphone support was an important factor in the company’s failure to capture the mobile generation.
Myspace also faces the rise of competitors when it comes to music features. With the emergence of services specializing in streaming distribution and sales, such as Spotify and Bandcamp, artists are now able to distribute their music more efficiently and widely. Additionally, with the spread of YouTube, there are now more ways to experience visuals and music at the same time through music videos, which has also lowered the relative value of Myspace.
Although Myspace attempted to rebrand itself during this period, it was unable to regain its former position as the dominant platform due to the abandonment of existing users and failure to attract new users. In the early 2010s, the number of users decreased to less than half of its peak, and the company focused more on maintaining general SNS functions than on music distribution.
Re-evaluation of 2000s Myspace music culture
Modern indie music and internet culture would not be possible without the efforts of Myspace, and its significance is being reevaluated.
Currently, the Myspace music culture of the 2000s is not just a nostalgic topic, but is being reevaluated in importance as an intersection of Internet culture and music culture. Myspace was a pioneer in DIY culture and personal communication, and created a system for artists to independently spread their music. This model is the prototype for modern music distribution platforms such as SoundCloud, Bandcamp, and even TikTok.
In particular, the culture of individuals freely expressing themselves online and forming communities has had a major influence on contemporary indie musicians and YouTube artists. Myspace’s attempt to demonstrate the power of user-generated content and social media word-of-mouth in a music scene traditionally dominated by record companies served as a valuable precedent for platforms to follow.
Myspace’s music culture is also connected to contemporary music culture in terms of cross-genre community formation, diversity of self-expression, and the interconnectedness of the internet and the real world. The history of Myspace is extremely important in learning the possibilities of using SNS to disseminate music based on past successes and failures.
Conclusion
The history of Myspace music culture is important evidence of the potential for the connection between the Internet and music, and provides an essential perspective for understanding the contemporary music scene.
Myspace in the 2000s was more than just a social media platform; it was an innovative platform that connected music and culture. The experience of individuals expressing themselves, forming communities, and directly connecting artists and listeners has laid the foundation for music dissemination in the modern SNS era. Myspace’s efforts are essential to understanding current internet music culture, and their significance remains.
