Social Media

MySpace Redesigns User & Musician Profiles

image from everydaybeats.net MySpace's critics have been complaining about it's confusing design since the service launched, and dissatisfaction may have contributed to the rapid migration to Facebook and that social networker's more functional look. Today, as part of an ongoing makeover, MySpace announced new profile designs for musicians, celebrities and all users: Highlights include:

  • a cleaner simple look
  • dozens of new themes including some by Shepard Fairey's Studio One
  • the ability to create a own custom header
  • easier navigation
  • profile designs carry over to on photo, video and other pages

For musicians. MySpace has increased the total number of songs that can be uploaded to 25. So far, more than 4 million users have upgraded their profiles. Lady Antebellum, Silversun Pickups, Outkast, Thirty Seconds to Mars and Colbie Caillat we're named as examples by a MySpace spokesperson.

Lady_antebellum

click on image to enlarge

Users can upgrade here.

Bruce Houghton on 08/25/2010 in Social Media | Permalink | Comments (21)
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21 Comments

  5. Ugh – every MySpace user I know who’ve stuck with them all this time hates the new Facebook-wannabe look and feel. The home page emphasizes status updates not fans, plays & stats; and the restrictive 2-column layout does away with all the clever customizations that artists have been able to hack out. I think that for a lot of artists this will force the last big push away from MS to other sites, sadly, as I and others have preferred MySpace to Facebook till now…

  6. Playing around with the new profile editor, two things struck me. First, the Myspace aesthetic: every time that page reloaded, the bright flashing ad in the upper right corner stole eyes away from the subtle hues and vintage style that our band has adopted for our album art, posters, and stage presence.
    Second, I was reminded just how little my band had updated our Myspace page in the past year and how little fans used it. I started to ask myself whether it was worth the effort. And in hindsight, neither was checking it once a week on the off-chance that someone had skimmed over our contact info and sent us an important message (the answer ways almost always ‘no’).
    Thanks for the reminders, Myspace. We had a talk, voted, and like that, our account has been cancelled.

  7. I refused to use this redesign.
    There is no way I am having a huge block ad sitting their flashing away on the right hand side.
    Forget it. I will leave it as standard until they force and upgrade then I am out.

  8. I’m not sure I agree that MySpace can be ignored.
    MySpace is touring the labels – yesterday was with Sony – to convince them to help (exclusive content, special shows, etc) with the social networker’s rebranding. No word yet on how they are being received, but given the eyes and ears that still spend time on the site, I think that labels and artists would be smart to pay attention to MySpace for at least awhile longer.

  9. Until Facebook makes it’s pages more band friendly and less buggy Myspace will always be in the ball game. Smart move on Myspace by moving to a more niche area ~ music and bands and blowing Facebook out of the water.

  10. I applaud MySpace for finally updating their music pages. It loses much of the plague of early 2000s design for something much easier on the eyes. It’s a fine line to walk between customization and cohesiveness; MySpace is getting closer to the right amount of each.
    Facebook could just as easily change their music pages around, and they will in response. MySpace Music must not lag in their counter-response as they have for the past few tumultuous years. The fans, technology and the internet does not allow such idleness.
    @meandre

  11. I agree with @MusicChk. MySpace continues to be relevant as long as Facebook doesn’t launch a music service. Which they’re not going to do anytime soon. So MySpace is a necessary evil to some, and a great resource to others. Either way, it’s still around.
    I think what’s important to realize for MySpace or any company is that they are trying to move in the right direction for artists. They’re trying. As long as companies keep trying to be better, we can’t put them down for that. We need to support them and hope that the final product will be a better resource for artists and a better value.
    I had the opportunity to talk to the MySpace team about what they’re rolling out over the next few months and I think people will really like some of the stuff. I still question after all this if they can ever generate enough revenue to support the business, but that’s a different discussion.
    So I say let’s support what they’re doing and hope it pleases fans more than the old MySpace did. Because that’s what’s important.
    Brenden

  12. I still love Myspace music. There’s a lot offered that other music sites don’t have. Hope it stays around!

  13. People,
    1 – Yes MySpace and Facebook are relevant.
    2 – MySpace and Facebook both suck…
    Thank you for your time.

  14. When will MySpace Music finally be mobile? They could easily make their service a great companion to Pandora/last.fm and others by allowing direct access to a band, instead of waiting for it on rotation.
    I’ve stood in awe, knowing they’re a dying beast, and wondering why they’ve allowed their mobile access to flounder so horribly. Sign me up for MySpace Music Mobile. It is mostly for this that I still have an account.

  15. The new design is a great step towards the right direction. I am rooting for Myspace to succeed. Not only because we have 4 million friend on there but because so many artists have invested so much time and effort over the last few years with their profiles and marketing on there.
    I think the bands that remain will be the smart ones. There will be less competition and clutter on Myspace. If you are serious about your music then you certainly still need to use Myspace. Myspace + Twitter + Facebook + Linkedin and you are good to go. Myspace music is still relevant.
    However, I still think there is a long ways to go for Myspace as well as Facebook to cater to musicians effectively.
    Constantine Roussos
    .MUSIC
    http://music.us

  16. I still think it’s a mess – way too much going on, and I realize we all need to make money but ENOUGH with the obnoxious ads!

  17. Myspace is still the best way to check out bands whose work I’ve never heard but have been recommended to me (either through friends, magazines, websites, blogs…).
    But why are the pages STILL so slow to load? Especially the player.

  19. I agree with Bruce – you shouldn’t ignore MySpace, especially with their renewed focus back to musicians.
    There are 3 web properties where professional musicians need to be: 1) Facebook, 2) MySpace, and 3) your OWN band website (where you control everything).
    The challenge is: do you invest your finite time in all three (Facebook, MySpace, Band Website), and if you do (and I think you should), how do you efficiently keep them up-to-date with your latest music, merch, gig dates, tickets, promotions, etc.?
    (warning: some self-promotion here) – Direct-to-Fan solutions like http://www.nimbit.com and others enable you to “not choose” one or another, but easily update everything from one online dash which automatically keeps your Band’s Website, Facebook Fan Page, and MySpace Direct-to-Fan in sync, and up to date.
    Bob
    Chairman and CEO, Nimbit

  20. Bruce, I’m in agreement with you on the MS issue. I have to admit that I also opened a Facebook account and have been spending quite a bit of time there, as for a while it seems as if MS had no real intrest with the musician/band pages. However I held on to my MS page, and now I’m glad I did, beacuse it seems that MS has taken a real intrest in the musician/band profiles and seem “serious” this time on promoting the most promising artists, and I’m gonna check out the new interface, not sure how I’m gonna like it, but I’ll at least give it a try, at least if I dont like it, hopefully I can revert back to the “old” profile.

  21. I have had nothing but not so kind words for MySpace in the past, and our design team can often be heard throwing things across the room when working on Band Profiles but I think this is a huge step in the right direction. It’s about time that Myspace simplified things and unified their brand better. This layout allows for a beginner to have a great looking site without bogging the servers down with horrid templates but at the same time is still a great pallet for awesome custom fan engagement. As far as the ad block goes, it is a necessary evil and I thought it was tastefully done compared to MySpace ad space of the past. Hey even Facebook has annoying ads! I am looking forward to converting our clients over to the new layout and getting into the dirty details.
    Ryan @ Eternite Media

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