MySpace

Founded in 2003 by the California-based company eUniverse/Intermix Media, MySpace soon became one of the most popular social networking Websites in the [Page 564]world. By 2010, it featured at least two dozen national and linguistic versions. The domain was purchased by the News Corporation in 2005 and became part of the media empire founded by Rupert Murdoch. Almost from its inception, the site presented itself as a virtual sphere bringing together young pop-culture talent—especially musicians—along with their potential audiences.

Based on the number of monthly unique visitors, MySpace took the leading position among U.S. social networking Websites in June 2006 and kept it until April 2008, when it was overtaken by its most fervent competitor, Facebook. In 2010, Facebook outpaced MySpace four to one in the number of member accounts. Both Websites are often compared in terms of the social structure of their members. While Facebook seems to attract more affluent, college-educated people, MySpace is increasingly perceived as the place where high-school educated constituencies with comparatively lower socioeconomic status tend to gravitate.

At the time of its launch in August 2003, MySpace was conceived as a competitor to the first generation of networking Websites such as Friendster, Xanga, and Asian-Avenue. At the time, the most popular U.S. networking Website, Friendster, was considering the introduction of a fee-based membership, which alienated many of its early adopters and consequently gave MySpace its initial boost. According to danah boyd, the group that catalyzed MySpace's fast-growing popularity consisted of indie-rock bands that were expelled from Friendster for failing to comply with its profile regulations. Many indie-rock bands consequently migrated to MySpace, and some clubs started to advertise their music events on the site. The dynamic of fans and bands created a synergy that became a staple feature of MySpace. Shortly after its launch, the site was discovered by teenagers who wanted to follow their favorite bands and, at the same time, to socialize with each other.