So Murdoch took a loss on MySpace: but the site's not dead yet

ON THE RECORD: JIM CARROLLon music

All told, it has been a bad week for Rupert Murdoch. There's no end in sight to the mobile phone hacking allegations that have engulfed the media mogul's News of the World.

Then there’s the matter of a big hole in the News International balance sheet next to the entry marked “MySpace”.

In 2005, Murdoch paid $580 million for the social-networking site. Last week, he flogged it for $35 million to advertising company Specific Media and Justin Timberlake.

While News International still holds a 5 per cent stake, the site is no longer its problem.

Yet you have to wonder if MySpace is really a problem at all. Yes, there are snappier, sexier and snazzier social-networking sites. Yes, MySpace is one ugly, curmudgeonly bastard compared to its peers. Yes, MySpace is the butt of many jokes.

But the site still has traction, especially when it comes to music. Even though many acts have migrated to SoundCloud and Bandcamp (and some favour ReverbNation), most bands still maintain their MySpace page as much out of habit as anything else.

Google a band’s name and their MySpace will still feature in the first couple of results. Some brands would pay good money for such search-engine optimisation.

The trick for MySpace’s new owners is to leverage this music stickability into something that can compete with the new guns. Due to how the market has fragmented, no new site has yet come along to rival MySpace’s appeal in its pomp when it came to music.

While it’s unlikely to return to its heyday, when it had 80 million users, MySpace could yet rekindle some of its appeal. At the very least, it might well provide some new friends for Tom.

#Now Playing

Little Green Cars The John Wayne(Young Lost Club) Superb debut single with oodles of crisp harmonies and splendid jangling sonics from the Dublin kids.

Frank Ocean Nostalgia, Ultra(Self release) Odd Future's r'n'b Romeo (and Justin Bieber songwriter) channels his inner Marvin Gaye on this smashing mix-tape.

Gillian Welch The Harrow & The Harvest (Acony) It was worth waiting eight years for a new album from Welch and her sidekick Dave Rawlings when the songs are as timeless as this.

Cut Copy Blink & You'll Miss A Revolution(Toro y Moi remix) (Modular) Track from current album Zonoscopegets a sweeping, sunny disco reworking from Chaz "Toro y Moi" Bundick.

The Chemical Brothers Hanna(Sony Classical) Thumping soundtrack from Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons for Saoirse Ronan's big-screen turn as a kick-ass teen killer.

New Music

GROSS MAGIC

Summer jam alert: Sweetest Touch, taken from Brighton young blade Sam McGarrigle's forthcoming EP Teen Jamz, is a hundred shades of wonderful. A lo-fi, head-bobbing psych-pop gem with definite touches of grandeur. We want to hear more asap. myspace.com/ grossmagic

BROUS

A Twitter mention by Triple J's morning show presenter Zan Rowe led us to Melbourne's Sophie Brous and her awesome new tune Streamers. Brous, formerly the director of the city's jazz festival and a collaborator with Cut Copy, Jens Lekman and others, makes music full of melodic, widescreen drama. brous.com.au

MODERN SKINS

New Dublin band peddling strong, dynamic, old-school, raw, feel-good rock tunes. Debut album Push Buttonsis released today with a launch show at Dublin's Grand Social for those who are not Punchestown-bound. breakingtunes.com/ modernskins

For more see irishtimes.com/blogs/ontherecord