Chris DeWolfe, 40, and Tom Anderson, 30, created something remarkable in MySpace.com. They launched their social-networking site in 2003, and by the middle of 2004, we had begun using it for our band, the Raveonettes. Now we don't even bother with our traditional website because MySpace is a far superior way to connect with our fans. It is little wonder that MySpace is now the seventh most popular website in the world, according to Web-traffic tracker Alexa.com, with more than 70 million registered accounts. Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. realized its potential and last year paid $580 million to buy MySpace and its parent company.
For our band, MySpace is a community in which we can directly interact with our fans. It lets us skip all the layers of industry and media and speak openly and in our own voice—and get instant feedback. Before MySpace, my band partner, Sune Rose Wagner, and I knew very little about our fans. We had always followed the traditional music-business strategy of targeting a demographic and hoping that with a mass-media approach, we could reach the people. Not anymore.
Since we started our MySpace site myspace.com, we have had a better understanding of the people who appreciate our music. We give away some of our music, showcase new ideas, upload pictures and videos, and post our thoughts. We respond to fans' comments and listen to their suggestions. As curious MySpace participants, we're still experimenting, wondering where it all will lead.
Foo plays guitar and sings in the Raveonettes, an alt-rock band