There are so many social networking sites out there at the moment, but I really find it amazing that the older generation still haven’t caught on to this new phenomenon. Social network sites are amazing because they let everyone communicate with their friends, find people they haven’t seen for a long time, and network with people who have the same interests as them.
I thought I would put together an article that will help the older people find some social networking sites that will actually help them connect with people. So here they are, the top 5 social networks everyone should join.
Myspace – Myspace is the largest social network in the world. They have more users than any other and surprisingly the majority of their users are over 30. Myspace has a key focus around the music industry. If you are looking for a band to listen to or just find out when their next concert is on, then Myspace is the place to find them. Myspace also allows users to customise their own pages, so you can make it look as colourful or as bland as you want. However, I also think this can be the sites downfall from time to time, because I really hate looking at pages that are just either too over the top, or music starts playing, or just unreadable.
Facebook – Facebook is one of the best social networks in the world for actually finding people. Profiles are not customisable and their platform is very clean and slick. They arent focused on pushing through the pageview like Myspace, more importantly they focus on interactions and how users use their site. Facebook has has huge growth in international markets recently, so if you are trying to find a long lost penpal in China, then you might have a chance with Facebook. Facebook is for older users and users who normally have at least a degree. Im not always sure if that is a good thing or not.
Bebo – Bebo is a social network that has just been bought by AOL. It has a strong presence in Ireland and the UK, but predominantly for the younger generation. Bebo also has a focus on bands and artists, but this social network doesn’t really stand out from the crowd. Pages are customisable on the site, but nothing over the top like Myspace.
Hi5 – Hi5 is a social network that is being used a lot by the older generation. It is a social network that is growing in nearly all markets, but doesn’t really have a focus. Hi5 when first launched spent a lot of time trying to spam as many people as possible into joining. That tactic seems to have worked and their are now millions on users online. Hi5 would be a good place to head to find out if your older friends are online, but I would spend a lot of time using this site.
Orkut – Orkut is under the huge Google umbrella. Orkut is a great social network with a huge following in South America as well as other non-english speaking countries. Orkut has a very slick design (as you would expect from Google), plus it seems to be growing in english speaking countries by the day. This social network used to be closed, but now it is completely open and anyone can join.
So those are the top 5 social network sites you should join! Make sure you join and use them when needed, but don’t get to addicted.
Where do you head when you want to listen to music online without having to download anything or more the point pay for music. Either you head to a bittorrent site (which we will discuss later) or you head to a music streaming service.
Here is a list of the top music streaming services according to Compete. Today we are going to talk about a few of these services and what they can offer you.
Imeem – A streaming service that is based around a social network in the same way as Myspace. Although to me it seems that Myspace has every band in the world online, I still find it hard to believe that Imeem which is growing still gets those sort of numbers. Imeem is completely free to use and you just search for your favourite artist and then you are able to stream certain music direct from their profiles. The problem is that the music is controlled by the artist and normally your favourite tracks wont be online.
Seeqpod – This has to be my favourite streaming music service. Seeqpod is basically the Google of music search engines. Seeqpod searches through the world of mp3s and lets you stream them by using their service. Some tracks are sometimes damaged, but they seem to be improving this service over time. Simply type in the artist name or track title and let Seeqpod do the searching for you. Songza is also on the list of top streaming services, but they are using the Seeqpod technology, so please head over to the original site!
Deezer – Deezer is a french based music streaming site that is similar to Seeqpod except they are total legitimate and they pay royalties from streams. Deezer has just signed a deal with Universal publishing, so you will be able to find some of your favourite artists, but there are still a lot missing. Deezer is also trying to build a community around their streaming product, with music news and basic social networking options. Deezer is one service to keep your eye on in the future!
After the great response I received from my articles a couple days ago titled, Attack Of The Music Communities, I thought I would write a quick note about some of the communities I left of who deserve a mention. These two music communities were mentioned in the comments of the previous post, so if you do want to have your say then Crenk is the place to get heard.
Reverb Nation – Reverbnation is a social network mixed with widgets. Depending if your an artist, label, manager, fan or venue, Reverbnation has options to help you achieve your goals. Artists can promote themselves in a similar way as they can on myspace, but artists can also receive 50% of the revenues generate from advertising on their own Reverb pages.
Jango – Jango is a mixture between social networking and customising your own online radio station. Just type in an artist and your first station starts playing right away. The service is a little like Last.fm in the way you can customise your own online station, but it lacks the feature of allow you to find new artists. Still the interface is nice and sexy.
If there are still any music sites I have left out, then please let me know and I might even produce a Part 3, to this ever growing Attack Of The Music Communities series.
I also just wanted to thank everyone who either Stumbled or Dugg our last post. Participation and help to spread the word of Crenk actually existing it really appreciated.
These days there are so many music communities out there it is hard to actually choose which ones are worth choosing or not. We have compiled a short list of the music communities out there and finally we will give you an idea of which communities are actually worth joining.
Myspace – Myspace is the king of all social networks and is leading the way in the music space. Everyone knows how myspace works, you sign up for a profile and then your able to upload 4 songs to your profile. Simple yet effective, because of how many artists are on the system. Additionally, myspace will be launching a new music feature in the coming months.
Bebo – Bebo who just got acquired by AOL for $850 million, is a big player in the social networking space. Currently, they are 3rd in the USA but leading the way in UK. The has the ability for bands to customise their profiles, and can even add songs to their profiles. However, doesnt have a music player at all and is very limited in so many ways.
Last.fm – Last.fm is a service that is growing every day. It is a service that keeps track of what music you listen to, and then helps you discover new music based on your preferences. Last.fm can be used to find new music, listen to music you already like, and get in touch with people who have the same taste in music as you do, discover new gigs in your local area. Last.fm also allows artists and labels to upload their own music and videos and promote them for free. As far as im aware only selected artists can now actually receive royalties from Last.fm when their music is played via their site.
Purevolume – Purevolume is probably the oldest music social network of the lot in this article. It has a sleak design and it is tailored just for artists. Unlike most other social network there arent poor quality ads all over the place and Purevolume is actually still strong when it comes to traffic stats and user participation. The site itself is still missing several features that are need by artists, but the overall feel is still top notch.
Imeem – Imeem is a new social network which allows artists to upload their music and actually make royalties via plays on the Imeem site. Currently artists need to have an agreement with Snocap, so that Snocap can track the amount of plays done on Imeem and then Imeem pays artists a percentage of the advertising revenue they receive.
MOG – is a social network that helps you “discover people through music and discover music through peopleâ€. Basically MOG makes it easy for you to find new music to listen to by using custom filters and personalized suggestions. The site is very similar to Last.fm, but has a few twists in their algorhythm. MOG also provides users with reviews, news and streaming audio. MOG also features a music TV that continuously broadcasts videos taken from YouTube.
iLike – iLike is another service that is similar to Last.fm, but has a nice twist that allows you to also organise your music. It lets you share music libraries with your friends, browse and sample their most played songs, and compare your compatibility scores. iLike will also send you music recommendations directly in iTunes.
JamNow – is a social network aimed at musicians that allows them to create audio content online in real-time. JamNow isn’t a site that simply makes you “post and listen†to audio content: its platform enables real-time music collaboration and lets you schedule live jam sessions and listen to musicians that are playing right in that moment.
Haystack – is all about finding new music through your friends and the people you think are taste makers or cool. You can browse music, pictures, videos and reviews of artists as well as build your own profile and personalize it with images and videos. They encourage artists to sign up directly or even through their labels.
Sonific – is a social network that offers a great way to promote your music, if you are an artist. It lets users put a free music widgets with your music on their sites and promote it to their own audiences, for free. In exchange, Sonific users get free music to use and listen to (download is not permitted) and make their site look cooler – while you get free advertising for your music.
Sellaband – is a music social network that turns the fans and listeners of bands into their producers, asking them to invest in a band or artist they support so that they will be able to get a recording opportunity. Every single investor that supports a successful band will take home a small cut of the profits made by them. Artists not only get financial support but also share 50% of the ad revenue coming from the free downloads of their music.
iJigg – is a online community that lets you comment on music and share songs. You can rate music and influence what becomes popular, as well as upload your own music to share it with the community and make new fans. You will need to decide whether to open a “listener†or “artist†account, which will give you access to different features (e.g. listeners can download free mp3 of their favorite music, while artists can upload their own music).
Flotones – is a monetized social network for artists and their fans. The best features is the ability to promote and distribute content via mobile phones. For example a band can do ringtones and mobile wallpapers. After registration you will be able to promote your content at your gigs and even on your social network profiles. You’ll be asked to sign a contract before getting paid.
Overall:
Out of the list above i think the key sites to sign up to are Myspace (overall largest reach), Purevolume (music specific), Last.fm (but only if you have royalty agreement with them), Imeem (royalty collection on streams and growing in traffic) and Sellaband (potential to receive investment money).
Here at Crenk we have already reported about Myspace and their new music offering severaltimes. It seems now that the launch is imminent. The LA Times has reported that Myspace will be launching their music offering as early as tomorrow. The new service will compete directly with iTunes and will be offering music downloads, streams, videos and mobile phone ring tones, along with related items, such as merchandise and concert tickets.
Stay tuned for more coverage about the launch in coming days.
