Over the past decade, we’ve seen the internet revolutionize the way we market ourselves, our businesses, and our ideas to the masses. Now there are full websites dedicated to helping bands get exposure to the right people, allowing for them to get noticed by record labels and make it to the big time.
MySpace was at the cusp of this music marketing revolution, having dedicated pages for musicians and allowing for other users to feature their favorite songs on their profiles. Once Facebook took over, MySpace Music seemed to be the only thing of value on the site for years, allowing artists to showcase their music and network, and presenting an easily accessible platform for industry executives and scouts to search for new talent or follow up on a lead.
Recently Facebook integrated a new service into their site, allowing for bands to do the same and showcase their music and allow their fans to “like” their songs and share them on their own walls without making them a staple on their page, as is the case with MySpace. This development was long overdue, and is still catching on, but before no time, it will be a common site on the social networking site.
A new site, WHOOZNXT, raises the bar even further, and allows for fans to make a difference. The site was developed as an extension of NXTM, the agency that is responsible for the digital presence of Justin Timberlake and Taylor Swift, and was created by former MTV executive, Jeff Yapp.
WHOOZNXT, raises the bar even further.
They started this venture at SXSW (South by Southwest) and gave artists the chance to compete for a gig on Jimmy Kimmel Live, as well as being featured as a part of Rachael Ray’s SXSW events. As fans voted for their favorite bands, the numbers grew on the site and the competition was very visible. Over the course of the festival, the service became an overnight hit, and more venues and organizations began to show interest in the site, allowing for bands to petition for spots based on their popularity, and get essentially get voted on by the fans.
The site now posts gigs for such venues as the Van’s Warped Tour and guest spots on Jimmy Kimmel Live, and allows for bands to submit for gigs and push for their fans’ support to help them get chosen. It is an interactive petition that can be compared like voting for American Idol, but in this case, it doesn’t keep the artist in the running, but gives them a very real gig that they can use as a platform to be heard and get noticed by the rest of the industry.
Time will tell just how big this becomes, but from the very beginning, the site is buzzing with excitement, and the fact that the goals are all actually attainable, makes for an exciting, positive way for more artists to get out there and be heard.
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