The internet was supposed to be the Next Big Thing for artists, giving them a way to connect to fans and get music to them faster and better. In some cases, it did that.

What I want to know, though, is if any artist can credit the Internet for making them famous.

The only close example I can think of is Dane Cook, who built his fandom and fame on MySpace, and then broke big.

But I can't think of a musician that is famous because of the Internet. As far as I can tell, the way to success is still through a record company.

I'm sure there are many artists that used MySpace or YouTube to get a record company's attention - who then brought them to OUR attention - but can you think of anyone that got Internet-famous and then for-real famous?

Lily Allen?

Moonbeam said:

I don't know. All I know about her is what I read on Perez Hilton!

Did she break out on the Internet?

RodeoSchro said:

I vaguely remember that she got big through Myspace.

RodeoSchro said:

she had a had a popular myspace page before she released her first single. having a famous dad didn't hurt either

sandi thom also became known after perfoming a series of webcasts because her car broke down and she couldn't make it to a gig one day. she had a hit with "i with i was a punk rocker"

Dane Cook? TV made him famous before he was on the Internet, at least that's how he got his break. In fact, when he got really popular, I was thinking "Oh, hell, this guy is back? Ugh."

Thanks Internet And thanks for brining that ventriloquist guy back from the obscurity of VH1's Standup Spotlight too

errant said:

I'll be darned. I thought it was the other way around.

If so, then I can't think of ANY artist that the Internet made famous. At least, not here in America.

B Scott...is that his name?

That real, real pretty Mofo.

Revolution said:

With the "budget weave",,,,yep, that him

Soulja Boy.

Dondria. (A former YouTube cover-singer discovered and signed by Jermaine Dupri)

That dude who sang "Chocolate Rain." Think his name was spelled Tay Zonday.

Harlepolis said:

He's somewhat famous now right? Isn't he some sort of sidelines reporter for the runways on a channel?

Oh, and that Perez Hilton.

Chris Crocker "Leave Britney Alone"

WaterInYourBath said:

I haven't heard of him before the Will.I.Am. thing though,,,,I was like Will hit WHO?

While I'm glad the internet gave birth to MANY intresting people,,,,,it sure also gave birth to a HEAP of losers.

angel345 said:

britney who?

WaterInYourBath said:

The "Chocolate Rain" dude is as close as I can think of for any artist that's become famous because of the Internet. And that's if you call him an artist, which is a stretch.

RodeoSchro said:

Adam Bahner (Tay Zonday's government name) is not an artist at all. I don't even think the dude's human.
[Edited 12/30/09 16:02pm]

That teen Canuck Justin Beaver, I mean Beiber, also got famous on YouTube.

Drake
Charles Hamilton
J*Davey

RodeoSchro said:

Interesting that you bring this subject up.
I was just reading an article on Ryan Leslie in the new issue of Electronic Musician (January 2010).

According to him...

Q: Who are some of the artists you've produced?
A: ...And eventually, that mentor-protege relationship [with Puff] turned into a partnership when I signed Cassie, who ended up having a really big record with "Me & U." That was something that I not only put together from a musical standpoint, I also spearheaded the online marketing effort, and it turned out to be a really big story, because she became one of the first pop stars to be made on the Internet.


Q: How did that end up happening?
A: Online marketing really was, at the time, one of the only ways that we could get her music to the world. We're talking about a new artist with no previous track record and a relatively unknown producer that was making all the stuff myself.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

I'm sure there are artists with real talent who are trying to use the Internet to their advantage.
But let's say that Cassie, Perez Hilton, Soulja Boy and Tay Zonday are examples of those that have gotten some of the most recognition.

If that's the case, Denzel said it best...



...Aw I say it, I say it again. You been had! You been took! You been hoodwinked! BAMBOOZLED! Led astray. Run amuck.



Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records

Unfortunately..Soulja Boy and Drake

Why do some of y'all bring up Perez Hilton? He's not an artist, although he does try to promote new music that he likes.

theAudience said:

Question: So you have a well-known artist like Prince who avoids the internet at all cause, and some well-known artists get pissed when their stuff is leaked on the internet. Is it a matter of generational differences or they know something we don't know about internet marketing?

Some veteran artists are still trying to figure out the internet lol

angel345 said:

I'd guess some feel they don't need it and others just don't know, or want to make the effort, to try and utilize it.



Music for adventurous listeners

tA

Tribal Records

Soulja Boy did

Sean kingston . Asher Roth

other people the org not feeling
[Edited 12/30/09 18:32pm]