MySpace Madness

So, I was just perusing the MySpace Music front page and happened onto something fascinating. In the middle of the page was an ad for none other than Snoop Dogg. What was it titled? Snoop Dogg Distribution. It stated that one should stay tuned for the "fresh tracks" that will be available every week. Upon clicking the small feature I was directed to Snoop's profile, where I noticed the somewhat new MySpace music store. He is selling select tracks for $0.83.

That is awesome.

Please excuse my lack of exclamation, I actually am really excited about this! Hey there it is. This "online music store" concept is very familiar to us by now. When implemented on MySpace, however, it looks much more exciting. Why? You get to set your own prices. Also, basically anyone who records their own original music can have the opportunity to make a little money off of it. Of course music is not about making money, but think about the struggling small-time bands who are striving to make a living off of their art. This is huge! Although an unknown band is not bound to make loads of cash off of this, the collections from selling songs could at least pay for (some) gas or food if the band is, say, touring. Small things like that can really make a difference. I love it!

Of course, this service is not free. I did not find specific details, but upon looking at the FAQ page on the site it did specify that the artist will not receive money until he or she reaches a $20 threshold. That may not seem like a lot but on top of the possible other charges it could be hard to overcome, especially if no one knows about you. But hey, this is MySpace! Shameless self promotion! I am fascinated by this. Being in a band myself, (we're called Dayplayer, you should check us out) this really encourages me and everyone else with the "Do It Yourself" spirit. So why is Snoop Dogg doing it? Well, why not. He gets to showcase his producing skills while promoting his proteges. Perfect!

I'm sure I will be able to come up with a solid counterargument to this once I learn more about it. For now though, I am excited!