MySpace is making a comeback
MySpace announced last night that they are re-launching with an entirely new design, packaged as a whole new site called new.myspace.com – or, the New MySpace.
The revelation was made, as all the best revelations are, through Justin Timberlake, whose endorsement, it’s fair to say, can make anything – nearly anything – cool. Timberlake, who invested in a major stake in the social media site back in 2011, posted the following promotional video, which demonstrates the concept behind the New MySpace, to his Twitter last night alongside the hash tag #NEWMYSPACE.
Seemingly a knowing nod to the fact that basically every new successful form of social media is described as “The New MySpace/Facebook/Twitter/pen and paper”, the name of the re-designed site is self-aware as well as being just plain simple and functional, and the same can be said for the sleek, stylish appearance of the new design. The launch of the video was accompanied by the activation of the new site, which currently consists of a box that allows you to enter your email address to register for an invite, and a looped image of a spinning record.
The new site’s focus seems to be musicians – the Old MySpace certainly left a legacy of being the best social media platform for musicians of its time, and the New form is marketing itself towards the same audience through its imagery, its multimedia-oriented design and the company it keeps (i.e. Justin Timberlake). As the homepage of the new site says, “we’re staying true to our roots in one important way—empowering people to express themselves however they want. So whether you’re a musician, photographer, filmmaker, designer or just a dedicated fan, we’d love for you to be a part of our brand new community.”
Not every musician is enthralled about this news though, with some taking to Twitter to express their disappointment. And, whilst the video has received a generally positive response, some bloggers have also written pessimistically about the re-launch, with Drew Olanoff over at Tech Crunch writing, “this ship has sailed. More than once. And far, far away.” Time will tell if he’s right.
