MTV Going Back To It's Roots

I am not one to fixate my eyes on MTV, but I do randomly watch certain programs on the music network. In the last six months, I was extremely surprised to see two of my favorite artists highlighted in commercials: Tegan & Sara and The Gossip. MTV used to actually play music videos all day, but now the channel is flooded with reality TV programs. Last week, I spent a total of 25 minutes watching a program called "Parental Control" on MTV. During that time period, there were six commercials promoting The Gossip. In recent years, MTV has offered ringtones on their website and has allowed TV viewers to text a 5-digit number to MTV in order to retrieve a ringtone directly to their phone. MTV has taken this media a step further by offering ringtones from an artists live show...one that cannot be purchased online from another corporation or cell phone provider. The most interesting thing about this is that Tegan & Sara and The Gossip are not artists that you would hear on the radio, nor would you catch their video on MTV. They are the type of bands that you would need to search YouTube in order to watch their new music videos. MTV, however, is taking a step forward by highlighting these small indie bands during their reality TV programming.

MTV is a large enterprise that has influenced community-building through music. While it has since changed its line-up of music video programming to reality television programming, commercials have had a huge impact in terms of marketing up-and-coming artists in the music industry. In regards to The Gossip, an indie-political band from Washington, MTV ran commercials called "Ask Beth" (Beth Ditto is the lead singer of The Gossip). The commercials were all based on political issues including the presidential election. While many people may choose to flip the channel during commercials, young MTV viewers may actually learn something during these "Ask Beth" commercials. It may even influence viewers to get involved and vote in November.

Controversy over Myspace music

Now that myspace has it's own record label, you would think that this would be beneficial for less well-known bands, such as indie bands, in the music industry. The problem, however, is that myspace is signing bands like Pennywise, who had hit songs in the 90s, and other slightly-known bands onto the label. When you click on myspace music, these bands are shown in the forefront. But what about the underdogs? Didn't myspace start out as a networking outlet for bands? I understand that myspace became a larger phenomenon that has continued to attract people of all ages, many of who do not play in bands, in search of friends and love matches. It makes you wonder how influential corporate buyouts are on different media outlets. Now that Rupert Murdoch owns myspace and myspace records, indie musicians and bands are yet again pushed to the side. Myspace should be promoting the diversity of music on its site and highlight different indie bands, rap artists, folk singers, jazz musicians, and other talented and less, well-known musicians to connect to a larger audience. I am interested to see what myspace records will do in the future...