MySpace Music launches in UK

Posted on 3 Dec 2009 at 15:15

MySpace today has struck back at online music rivals with the UK launch of its MySpace Music service. Like popular streaming music site Spotify, the new service will allow for unlimited free streaming of music, from both major acts and MySpace's own community of unsigned groups. The service has been available in the US since last year but licensing issues with artists has delayed a UK release.

MySpace hopes to beat its competition by heavily integrating the streaming music service with its current vast array of band profile pages. As well as links to band information, there's a playlist system that lets both bands and fans share their favourite tracks. You can purchase tracks via the site, which links directly into iTunes. There are also music videos available to view. The whole service is free to access, with no audio adverts like on Spotify. It will be funded instead by traditional banner adverts and video spots.

One feature that's bound to intrigue up and coming artists is extensive access to listening stats, you can see who listens to your music, how old they are and who else they like. There will be official MySpace music charts too, listing the most listened to tracks across 23 musical genres.

This move takes MySpace away from direct competition with FaceBook, a battle for social networking supremacy it was obviously losing. This was largely due to MySpace's anarchic and highly personalised page design, something that put off users who just weanted to communicate and read status updates.

The new music service plays to its long term strengths as a destination for music fans. However, here its chaotic web design attracts bands, which can then extensively customise their pages.

Author: Seth Barton

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