I get this question a lot. Because you hear this a lot. And musicians want to know, because most of them rely on MySpace as an integral part of their online strategy.

Well, as much as it pains me to say this, I have to come back with the answer: No, I’m sorry - it still matters.

Because I’m not a fan of MySpace. Hate it with a fiery passion, in fact. And yet, when I compiled a recent top 10 list of music-related sites that artists NEED to be on, this came out as number one. It’s not relevant because it’s good - it’s important because it’s so widespread.

So while this makes me incredibly uncomfortable, here are three good reasons that MySpace is not just still alive and well, but actually pretty damn near crucial for online music business.

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Photo by Liz Henry

A whole bunch of local blogfriends went off to Austin, Texas this week to attend South By Southwest Interactive - which is kind of the tech end of what is probably the biggest music industry conference and festival on the planet.

I’ve been to some cool places recently, but that didn’t stop me being dead jealous of everyone.

But I like to think that having a bit of distance and perspective on the whole thing stops you from getting carried away with the spirit of the moment - and lets you see the real trends and significant lessons from the whole thing. At least that’s what I’m telling myself.

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I thought I’d get this off my chest.

I have a lot to report from the CMJ Music Marathon (halfway through as I type this at the NZ Music Stand), but first I wanted to say thanks. This is the shirt I wore yesterday at the panel session I co-presented about the ‘future of the music business’ and to all of the media and music events I attended well into the night.

It’s my way saying thanks for helping me get to New York to attend. Much appreciated.

It’s often scary when an industry education-focused organisation starts to simply spout the corporate PR. But it can be funny too.

I receive emails from the Music Tank people, and I occasionally go to their seminars. So naturally, I also get their mailouts. They started life being all ‘What should we do about DRM?’ and ‘How do we make money from ringtones’, but they’ve moved on.

Now it’s ‘Let us celebrate the honourable major record labels and their mighty crusade against the evil pirates’. Believe it or not, the following is a direct quote from an organisation that works in, for and with the music industries:

This week saw the RIAA gain its first victory in what is proving to be an epic industry war against the global menace of illegal filesharing. In fining Jammie Thomas (will the irony of her name ever carry over the pond?) a whopping $220,000 for 24 of the tracks she made available on the Kazaa network, the industry has issued its most severe warning yet to the worldwide illegal filesharing community: “get you’re a** to iTunes… or you might be next”.

The first sentence had me in stitches, and the last line (spelling error and all) finished me off. Their cheap-shot joke in brackets in the middle suggest they may not be the comic geniuses the rest of the note suggested — but then perhaps they’re not trying to be ironic.

And, I’m sorry, is iTunes the only record industry cartel approved site for authorised music downloads? Aren’t there other people Music Tank’s constituents have contractual agreements with?

They started to lose me when they started agitating for copyright extension (despite the overwhelming objections by the music industry people in the room at that particular seminar) and higher prices for music downloads across the board (higher?! are you insane?!!!).

The scary bit, of course, is that these guys are owned and run by the University of Westminster. Remember what universities used to do? Critic and conscience of society. Not corporate mouthpiece.

Music Tank are never having any more of my money, and I’m appalled that Westminster are allowing this sort of thing to go unchecked.