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Myspace as an Official Band Website (sucks)

01 March, 2008
By: fiona
Filed Under: myspace, websites

Whilst I sheepishly agree that it is essential for any band that wants to take themselves seriously, to set up an official myspace site, neglecting an actual official band website instead is indeed a cardinal sin.

For starters, the monopoly that myspace has amongst the music scene is ridiculous. All they have to do is have one board meeting whereby announcing that they'd like their "service" to be a pay site and it would spell disaster. Disaster for both bands and fans alike.
Whilst it's all well and good to use this new "social revolution" for the benefit of recruiting fans, if it is the sole point of contact between the internet and your band, you're really backing yourself into a corner.

How cool is it that you (as a band) can put up new songs via the streaming media player, with all confidence that they are safe and un-ripable... (think again). Or put up a bulletin inviting everyone to listen to/buy/watch whatever (like anybody reads their bulletins). Or watch your popularity skyrocket because you have 489214579874 friends.... some of whom would probably be spam bots or hacked accounts, looking to up their friend-count in the process.

I love official dot coms. Not (only) because I studied multimedia and can appreciate a good website (or the fact that someone needs to be hired in order to make a good website ;) ) - but also because they are usually pure artwork unto themselves.

Things that can't be achieved through the sucky myspace css (no seriously, it's full of bugs!!) can be achieved on an official website. And any user database you might compile is completely yours, without the threat of some multi million dollar conglomerate losing or charging you for that information. You can say what you want, where you want it, and how you want it to act. Myspace gives you few options when it comes down to it.

I remember when I first heard a band announce their myspace as their official website at a festival a few years ago. I was used to people saying "visit ourbandname.com" but seriously, how novice does it sound to hear "visit myspace.com/ourbandname_or_quite_possibly_a_different_url_because this_one_is_taken "

Whilst it is a great tool to get a bit of exposure, all these social networks (facebook included) are mere fads. Yes, billion dollar fads that are important, but remember livejournal? That was all the rage a few years ago. Thus myspace will be replaced with something (hopefully more web standard compliant) and then you'll have to pimp out a new address, and work out their new way of changing their layout, but keeping all those ads and stupid fucking "go away" smilies on the top of every freaking page.

Just get a .com and a good webdesigner and let your imagination run wild. Don't rely on myspace for an official site of any description. Just because something's free doesn't always make it a better option.

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