In the last few years social media sites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter have certainly left their footprint in both online and offline universes. The explosion of these sites and their staggring number of users has moved virtually every facet of human interaction online, and made it easier. With Ichat components to Facebook chat, the ability to tag people in Twitter and Facebook posts, etc. online interaction is at an all time high. These platforms have made it easier than ever to close gaps across the world for loved ones, creating what some call a Global Village. For musicians and music lovers alike, social media platforms have become instrumental in the music industry, in more ways than people realize.

The first big breakthrough came when MySpace introduces ‘MySpace Music’, a way for artists, and bands to create profiles for the alter egos they assumed when creating music. Allowing for free online promotion of music, tour dates, and up to the second profile updates, MySpace music fostered an environment that not only brought people closer together, but brought people closer to the music and artists they love. After just 5 months of operation, MySpace music hosted, “over 5 million bands with music on the streaming-and-discovery music service, and more than 100 million playlists created by users,” MySpace music president Courtney Holt told CNET news in an interview in 2009. The days of hanging up fliers in the quad are long gone.

Facebook has seen an even larger music presence. With virtually the same capabilities that MySpace posses, but with an even larger user basis, Facebook has become the hot new place for online promotion. And Promotion is one of the most important things when starting out as an amateur musician. Printing up promotional flyers and posters for your band can be a tough expense for the starving artist. Facebook and MySpace present a way for free promotion of music and events to users worldwide. Facebook has event developed a way for users to have to “like” an artists page before they can download their music from the artists Facebook page.

Showing support for artists simply by liking their page have also come to be quite important. Musicians present their case to record label owners, and club promoters in a way that heavily stresses their amount of social media presence. Online sites like ‘Clout’, which monitor how large your online following is, have become a way for upper management to see if you have the following that it takes to sell out a show.

It’s incredible to think that all of these things did not exist ten years ago. Social media interaction has not only changed the game for up and coming musicians, it has changed the game of music altogether.