How do you feel about bands on Myspace that send friend requests to people they don't know?

One way ticket to Loserville and DENY

I think it's pretty lame but that lead way should be made if the person is recognizable.

(Edited by deathscythe257 at 5:37 pm on Apr. 27, 2005)

People may be surprised, but I picked the first option. Blindly sending out millions of friend requests is a bad idea, but I think if a band truly does some research, finds people with similar music tastes, and writes them a semi-personalized message with why they should check out the music, it is ok. Any time I get an unsolicited friend request from a band, I'll delete it. However, I've gotten a couple that are like, "hey Keith. I see that you like Air and Supergrass. They are some of my favorite bands too and if you don't mind taking a minute to check out our profile, I think you might like my band. Thanks." If I get something like that and I have a minute, I'll check out their profile. I'm all for discovering new music that I would like, and I support good bands trying to make it. It's the random grindcore/emo/ska friend requests that baffle me. If you're a band on myspace and you want to add people you don't know as friends, just take a minute and look at their profile and see if there is any chance they would like your music before you bother them.

I'll steal a line from Keith... "I totally agree" Bt seeing how my profile is loaded with monkey related goodness, no one ever says, "hey I love the Monkees, you might like our band"

I think its good if a band seeks you out because of your profile but not if they just want to add another "friend" to their list. I have random bands add me but purely cause they want me to book them for our venue..... lol which is fair enough.
Ollie

i picked the second, but then i thought about it after, and i mostly agree with keith... my band has a myspace page (shameless plug!), and sometimes i'll add people who i don't know to it, but only for people that are in the area and who might actually see us, and people who probably would like us.

i like the idea of messaging people first, rather than adding... makes much more sense.

the only thing i hate more than bands (most of whom i have zero interest in) sending me friend requests is freaking bars and clubs sending me friend requests.

not only is 3 crow bar a stupid fucking name, i've never been there or even heard of it.

For what it's worth, that's the bar that rose from the ashes of Slow Bar.

I've never been there either...

i agree, it is annoying...
but, i guess if it garners at least one new fan for a band, then it was worth it to that band...so, i can't blame 'em.

But what if everyone else later reads something about them and think "Oh, yeah, that's one of those lame, desperate bands who sent me a random friend request on Myspace"?

i had some band add me the other day!...i honestly dont mind...their name being under my friends thing doesnt harm anyone does it, and its just helping them a little...

this band who added me the other day i presume got my name from either the KOL friend one or The features one, as they were also from Tennessee...i actually liked them, they sounded pretty good!...

(if i were in aband id probably do the same thing)

(Edited by morag at 2:27 pm on Apr. 29, 2005)

well, i get a number of those requests every day, so i just delete 'em all...and to be honest, i'd never know who sent me one and who didn't...
and i get requests from legit bands that i already like....and bands that are really crappy...
so, it wouldn't make me dislike them or like them...it's just something they do.

for instance, Lit sent me a request and i don't like Lit...but BRMC sent me one and i like them...so, if some band i've never heard of sends me a request and i deny it... if later on i read an article in SPUN about them and just happen to recall that they spammed me on myspace, i'd only be left perhaps slightly regretting having ignored the chance to get ahead of the game in my "next big thing" music awareness.
i wouldn't be left thinking...that band sucks 'cause they sent me a request on myspace.

of course, music marketing is my profession...so, perhaps i'm a little biased

what's your perspective on this?

Choice number 2.

We can talk all day about the logic of it, but what it comes down to is what the average person thinks when they get a friend request from a band they've never heard of. It's clearly just a matter of opinion. Of course, it seems to be the popular one according to this poll. I'm glad to know I'm not in the minority on this one.

It's junk mail, plain and simple.

When I was in college and took marketing classes, the textbooks would talk about "direct marketing" like it was some sort of legitimate business practice, and I would laugh my ass off, because where I come from, it's called junk mail and telemarketing, and we hate that shit like we hate bee stings and traffic jams.

But apparently, the direct marketers are having the last laugh, because there seem to be at least enough people out there biting on their hooks to make it profitable!

So what I'm saying is: I personally think it's really annoying and T.H.O.R. for bands to send out uninvited friend requests, BUT apparently there are a lot of people out there who can be reached by them.

T.H.O.R.? Are you implying Norse gods are sending out these friend requests? Sorry, ignorant on the acronym.

Thor is the only day that I've been looking forward to. Alright. I am lame.

The Height Of Rudeness

Sorry 'bout that.

no no! pardon my ignorance!

I haven't been sent the latest internet acronym email...you know, the one that explains:
lol
rofl
brb
btw
t.h.o.r.

If you look at their last few comments on Myspace, it would appear that a few people actually checked out The Features (and, of course, loved them) after receiving friend requests. I suppose that's a much more tangible payoff than the intangible possibility that some folks may or may not be turned off to the band (as indicated by a couple of messages sent directly to the band). I guess if someone's willing to direct their requests and personalize them, it can be an effective way to make new fans.

Maybe direct marketing isn't a waste of time. Who would have thunk it?

I suppose every bit helps. However, mass marketing would be idea at this point for The Features...Universal... are you there... hello?

And yes the FISTer's aren't a bad idea either.

the only reason i even use myspace is to keep up with bands and learn about new ones i wouldn't ordinarily have such access to and information about so i enjoy getting friends requests from musicians. (i don't view myspace as the high school lunch table where only my friends are allowed to sit.) and, it's not like if someone gets a friends request from, let's say, The Features and doesn't like it it'll really matter in the long run. it's kind of like spam (not the canned food product): if for every 300 e-mails that are sent out at least 1 person clicks the link and sends the money (or what have you) the business, and occasional con artist, is profiting. plus, if you don't like requests (or spam) it's not hard to click delete.

how annoying

why don't you just go to a record shop?

This guy didn't seem to appreciate his request from The Features

Good thing we screen our comments...

so the features are soliciting on myspace now? booooo

I second that.

For the sake of discussion, what is the purpose of bands using MySpace at all?

If they don't solicit in one way or another, why should they bother joining? I know that people just found the Features through different channels, but what about bands that are not on a major label?

I'm just curious.

I set up an account for Hail To The Keith because it was easier than setting up a website and a mailing list. The majority of people who would be interested in seeing me play are on myspace, so I figured it was an easy way to allow those people to check out some of my songs and keep them informed via bulletins. I haven't solicited anyone that I didn't already know.

that's sounds good. i wish everyone thought of it that way.

how bout who cares at all? why dont all bands just kill themselves? and then all fans take follow?

wait a minute...that's just crazy enough to work! i think you're onto something!

we'll promote it on myspace. i'm on it!

I wrote to the guy who got so angry:

And this was his reply:

[Mindylieu, I'm assuming w/e = whatever ]

"assey" was my first thought...

hmm..i do frequent record shops as well. i don't see the comparison really. i like hanging out with my friends better in person, but occasionally i talk to them online. i like going out to stores to shop but i also like shopping online. et al...

has a direct marketing company taken over the features myspace account?

...'cause we (as in, the direct marketing company they're dealing with right now) have absolutely nothing to do with the features+myspace at present...nor have we in the past.

i was under the impression that the features myspace page was friends/fan-managed.

An intern from Universal has been working with Rory to unlock some of the potential of the account.

Clever and polite.

I actually gave these guys a look:


Dear Sir/Madam,

We request your online friendship. We realize that adds from bands can sometimes be irritating, but this is only because few are as good as we are.

We apologize for any stress or annoyance we may have caused.

Surefire

I like that. Seriously.

I probably wouldn't check them out, but I also wouldn't be annoyed by it.

mine is better


hey Sina,

we just got on this thing and like your musical tastes lots and lots and think you might like us and who's we you do ask? well...i must say, we are best described by face:

o^_^o ? no. not that.

o^__^o ? nope. getting cold...

`o_@~!! ? yaH!! you're HOT!

please check out the `o_@~!! and let us know what you think!! i mean, you said you wanted to meet some brilliant boys, right?!!
-eugene

Someone took it upon themselves to start a fan group cleverly called "The Features". I guess that's cool...

Features Fan Group on Myspace

http://www.myspace.com/exzibita

what is this all about?


errrggghhh...having techinical difficulties...try this?

features

(Edited by mindylieu at 10:36 am on Jul. 14, 2005)