Another Search for the Next Big Band

A few months ago, we had "Make Rock History" thanks to Motley Crue and Guitar Center. Now, Myspace and Toyota are teaming up for their own competition. Here's the release:

MySpace, the world’s premiere social portal, in partnership with MySpace Records and Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), USA, Inc., today announced the official launch of Rock the Space, an exclusive competition encouraging unsigned bands or solo artists to submit an original song for the opportunity to score a recording contract with MySpace Records, the company’s full-service independent label. Beginning today through July 1, 2009, aspiring artists across the country can enter to win the chance of a lifetime by visiting Toyota’s MySpace Music profile for submission details and contest rules http://www.myspace.com/toyotamusic.

To enter the Rock the Space competition artists must submit an original mp3 demo. All entrants will have the opportunity to create a viral music widget with an easy embed code to help them spread their music across MySpace and the web. MySpace users can share in the experience by adding the music widgets to their profiles and posting comments on the Toyota Music profile. In July, MySpace Records will select five finalists who will be featured prominently on the Toyota Music profile and the MySpace community will vote to select the winner. The five finalists will receive a media allocation to promote themselves with My Ads targeted advertising throughout MySpace.

“Rock the Space allows the MySpace Music platform to do what it does best - enable new music and new artists to be discovered,” said Jeff Berman, President of Sales and Marketing for MySpace. “MySpace is excited to offer these artists a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and to take part in their journey from the very first step.”

The Rock the Space winner will be announced in September and will receive a recording contract as well as a $10,000 musical instrument prize package provided by Fender, the world’s leading guitar manufacturer. The winner’s song will also be available for download on the MySpace Music Home Page. The four runners-up win a MySpace Records Development Deal friends package.

You know what this means, right? That contests such as this one, "Make Rock History" and even American Idol are the new "showcase." Bands no longer need to play the same dive club 30 nights in a row for labels. Thanks to social media, bigger and more affluent opportunities exist to try and get bands hooked up with labels which can then generate sales. Pretty crazy when you think of all the changes in the industry - but really, mass marketing is the only way to succeed these days. 

Comments

[Christian]

The bands will suck, because unless you suffer in clubs playing for 3 people a night, for years, and live on dog food, how can you claim to have talent ? :P

[Trinity]

I don't think mass marketing is ever the way to go. Otherwise one just gets lost in a sea of other hopefuls. Niche marketing is the only way IMO. Contests like this are nice, but only one of thousands will win. 99% go back to playing the dive bars. Social media is indeed changing the landscape of the music biz. The business model of the "big label" will soon be obsolete and the only way musicians will be able to compete is to become business people themselves and learn to market themselves to their niche.

[Heather]

I think that mass marketing is the way of the future, but it won't be nearly as much fun.