Dispelling the MySpace Music Device Rumor

Last Thursday John Battelle sat down with MySpace CEO Chris DeWolfe and Warner Music Group (WMG) CEO Edgar Bronfman to discuss the future of music.

Some interesting things were said, including remarks by Bronfman that Warner will only sign new artists if they agree to give the label a cut of all possible revenue streams. But the biggest story about the talk, by far, was this: MySpace may be creating a music device.

At least that’s what dozens of blogs and mainstream news outlets reported. A sample:

• Reuters: Is MySpace dreaming of a music device?
• Reuters: MySpace could develop digital music player (Reuters liked the story so much they wrote two articles)
• The Telegraph: MySpace rival to iPod is ‘possible’, says chief executive
• About.com: MySpace MP3 Player in the Works? (”It is reportedly a distinct possibility for the future”)
• Business Journal: Report: MySpace hints at iPod competitor

The source for the stories: DeWolfe, when asked “Do you think, or as you plot…the future of MySpace…do you think there is a place where MySpace might create a device?” said only “Uh, it’s possible, right now we’re just focusing on the service itself.”

The video is below, and DeWolfe’s tone and body language suggest he was simply being polite. I contacted MySpace, wondering if big press was tipped off to read more into the statement than appears reasonable. They declined to comment.

Judge for yourself. In my opinion, there’s nothing there.

Original post

Comments

[iNeal:]

Thank you for showing how easily these rumors get started. Everybody wants to run a controversial or negative story on Apple these days, even if they have to make it up. The simple truth: Apple is a solid long-term investment. But who would click on that?

2008 Nov 10 12:33 PM

[Paul Bonanos:]

I agree completely, as I wrote here.

2008 Nov 10 07:48 PM

[Paul Bonanos:]

I meant here:

www.thedeal.com/techco...

2008 Nov 10 07:49 PM

[Samantha:]

A tip for a generation who likely does not have a myspace profile.... everyone in LA & NY (read, much of the music scene) has already moved to facebook, even if they haven't yet committed myspace suicide (deleted their myspace account). I for one can't tell you the last time I checked my myspace page... sad for all the bands who got a boost there, but myspace ruined themselves by going corporate with too much advertising, problems with hackers, and simply "trying to hard". So, uh, even if they DO come up with a player, run do not walk from betting on that one....without the support of the hollywood hip, it ain't gonna happen.

2008 Nov 11 08:22 AM

[Jon T:]

Myspace is a third rate site...

And well done for showing just how these journalists fabricate and build on straws...

2008 Nov 11 08:34 AM

[mollytjm:]

i think myspace is not going to do well. youtube has more of a chance to do this music thing...though, it's not so easy a thing to do, since Apple developed the ipod and itunes store. Dell just announced they weren't going to make an ipod competitor (it wouldn't have been..probably why they made the decision). Microsoft has the Zune which could have been named the Snooze. If a huge company with so much $ to throw around coudln't do better than that, I think it will be hard for myspace to even enter this fray. rumors... i think we know about rumors...ask Steve Jobs.

2008 Nov 11 09:42 AM