There has been a lot of Facebook hype in recent memory. This is fueled by the fact that the site’s growth has more than doubled, in no small part thanks to localization around the world.
You’ve got Fox News declaring that Facebook is better than MySpace because it has a “more sophisticated” crowd, and reports that the site is gaining on MySpace in the home base of the U.S. All signs point to Facebook’s total domination over MySpace right?
Michael Arrington doesn’t think so, and his point is a very valid one. In a TechCrunch article posted at WashingtonPost.com, he notes that MySpace has the upper hand when it comes to music, a territory that Facebook has really not shown much interest in exploring to any great extent. Arrington explains:
Facebook doesn’t appear to be engaging in any direct music strategy at all. Instead, they’ve placed their bet on iLike, a third party application that has no streaming deal (they piggyback on Rhapsody). Last month Facebook announced that they’ll give iLike special access to Facebook through their new Great Apps program. All official and most off record messaging we’re hearing is that iLike is Facebook’s music partner for the long run.
We’re big fans of iLike. But Music is such a big category that is so completely dominated by MySpace, that it seems like they should have their overall music strategy under their direct control. Today, Facebook users who want to stream music must do so via a contractual maze that goes from the labels to Rhapsody to iLike to Facebook. Meanwhile I can’t visit a MySpace page without being attacked with streaming music.
Most bands in the U.S. have MySpace pages. If they know anything about promotion or have representation that does, they have one. They also feature their music on these pages. Many bands will even preview their entire new albums on MySpace, which is a big draw to the social network. Even Metallica embraces MySpace.
This might even be a contributing factor to why SoundExchange isn’t concerned about users pursuing illegal means of finding music when they run the Internet radio stations out of business.
If MySpace wants to keep Facebook at bay in the U.S., perhaps pursuing more deals with record labels for expanding their musical offerings would be a smart route to travel.
