New Myspace Garners Interest

Myspace garners interest after its June 12 relaunch. The social media site received 31 million visitors and 995,000 app downloads just two weeks after the relaunch. In its first week, the site received 16 million visitors and 450,000 app downloads.

Myspace is primarily attracting a millennial demographic after launching a $20 million advertising campaign across multiple platforms, aimed at younger people.

The site’s new mobile app, which is currently ranked at only No. 147 on the iPhone’s list of free apps, faces competition from other music apps including Shazam (No. 72), Slacker Radio (No. 76) and SoundCloud (No. 103).

The company also faces additional challenges. Merlin CEO Charles Caldas recently criticized Myspace in an email to VentureBeat, accusing the company of playing music from several independent labels without their permission. Myspace responded, saying, “We have offered a relationship with Merlin that provides equal opportunities to Merlin’s labels and Merlin’s artists that we have provided to ALL labels and artists whether they are Indie Artists, Major Artists or Unsigned artists.”