Listen Up

Brandweek, Feb 14, 2000 by Rodd McLeod

How do music sites rate? From magazine-sponsored sites and MTV's online sibling to indies, the offerings could be gold--or one-hit wonders.

By now there are hundreds of music sites on the Web, offering CDs, MP3s, news, reviews, song samples, photos and chat rooms. We took a look at 10 leading content sites where you can learn about artists and genres. Some have shops where you can buy CDs or download MP3 files, and others connect you to e-comm sites, but make no mistake, the sites reviewed are in the content business. They strive to build comfortable environments in which users can read and learn about a broad range of music. They're not to be confused with Web radio stations or sites maintained by a particular artist or record label.

While tracking Web-site popularity is a new science, there are some things we can say for sure. First off, we know that MTV.com gets more hits than any other music content site, according to Milpitas, Calif.-based Nielsen/NetRatings. We also know that SonicNet.com and RollingStone.com are duking it out for second place. Smaller and lesser-known sites like TheSource.com and Pitchforkmedia.com cover music often ignored by more heavily trafficked sites.

We surfed these sites using an Apple iBook with a 56K modem, a 300 megaherz G3 chip and 32MB of memory. Those users with high-speed connections will probably avoid some of the difficulties encountered.

BILLBOARD.COM

***

The Point: The music business' brand-name trade mag divides its Web site into two sections: One for members, with detailed chart info, and one for consumers. This review concerns the consumer site, which delivers industry news and chart information to music fans who tend to be somewhat older than the typical MTV.com user.

Vital Statistics: Based in New York, launched in 1996 and owned by BPI Communications, owner of Adweek magazine, among others.

Content: Billboard is mainly known for its charts, and it is here that the site delivers big time. There's so much fresh, easily accessible information that any music fan looking for numbers will find this indispensable. Add to that business news, like a feature on the war heating up between Ticket.com and Ticketmaster, and you have a worthy site. The album reviews and artist news, however, can be somewhat pedestrian.

Look & Feel: The design is clear and colorful, managing to encompass news, reviews, charts, photos and text quite fruitfully.

Usability: While most downloads on this site worked well, I encountered big headaches with both Billboard Minutes, a short audio-video news show that stuttered at me incomprehensibly on repeated tries, and the song samples feature in the album review area. Considering that I spent 10 minutes downloading and installing the Liquid Audio plug-in, this was a real disappointment.

Bottom Line: Although its more whiz-bang features fell flat, for a music fan looking for charts and a business perspective, Billboard.com is a great find.

MTV.COM

**

The Point: MTV.com offers news, interactive features, videos and chat to a massive audience of young music fans, ages 12-24.

Vital Statistics: Based in New York, launched in September 1995 and part of the MTVi Group, a unit of MTV Networks, owned by Viacom.

Content: When I first checked out MTV.com's video newscast with Bryan McFadden, it kicked off with a rocket exploding, followed by more than a minute of news--about sports. Huh? As Beavis might ask, how does MTV.com suck? Let us count the ways. The news stories are plentiful, but too short. The area on Shows didn't offer much info (the Lyricist Lounge page suggested I tune in to watch it on TV, and had no links for clips!). It took several minutes to download the brief intro to the feature on Da Brat before making me download page two, which also took several minutes to download. Give MTV.com points, however, for having plenty of video clips and artist links, not to mention a fine Choose or Lose site, featuring the truly amazing search engine called: "Find Out What Any Candidate Has Said About Anything." It's the bomb.

Look & Feel: The site features an engaging mix of text and photos that makes some sections--especially features--quite fun.

Usability: Featuring the slowest downloads of any music site I visited, MTV.com tested patience repeatedly. A lack of redundant buttons made surfing--already slow--torturous, and videos, MTV's obvious strength, don't look or sound very good without the kind of high-speed connection that relatively few users enjoy these days.

Bottom Line: Despite a considerable investment in chats and politics, MTV.com simply doesn't cut the mustard where it counts--on music information.

MUSIC365.COM

*** 1/2

The Point: A U.K.-centric site that aims to please a wide range of music lovers (ages 18-45) with daily news, reviews, chats and RealAudio and RealVideo clips.

Vital Statistics: Based in London (soon opening an office in Paris), launched in November 1998 and owned by the 365 Corp., which also owns Football365.com and Rugby365.com.