After years of lagging behind Facebook, which took over the social networking scene, MySpace has now been overhauled for the better. The site seems to be aiming at reclaiming its past glory.
Started in 2003, MySpace was launched by News Corp. in 2005 for $580 million. The site was the most visited social networking site from 2005 to 2008. But in April 2008, Facebook overtook MySpace in the number of unique visitors and since then, MySpace has been on a downhill dive.
But this might change.
"We're hard at work building the new MySpace, entirely from scratch," said MySpace in its website.
A new redesigned interface provides integration with Facebook and Twitter.
MySpace released a video showcasing the new MySpace, which looks a bit like Pinterest. It provides, as The Los Angeles Times puts it, "an airy environment for artists to connect with their fans." One can connect with friends and post comments and photos. It looks much neater than Facebook.
There is a "Discover" section that leads users to new music in MySpace as well as upcoming concerts. Though Facebook overtook MySpace, it has still remained popular with the music community, both fans and artists. The Beverly Hills-based social networking site claims it has the largest online music library, comprising of about 42 million tracks.
"If you think about the MySpace brand, to the average consumer it was negative, but to the artist community it was positive. They need MySpace to succeed," Tim Vanderhook, one of MySpace's new owners, told Forbes.
Late last year, News Corp. honcho Rupert Murdoch said that the acquisition of MySpace was a "huge mistake," AFP reported. MySpace was sold in June 2011 for $35 million to Specific Media, an advertising network. Specific Media Group has mobilized Justin Timberlake as a major investor. He features prominently in the preview video.
The preview video ends with an invitation that the company will send once its new website is ready.
